Carpe Noctem
by In Omnia Paratus1021
Summary: How does someone handle finding out they're the soul mate to an original vampire? That because of a spell, a simple wish, their life was created...a thousand years late. Olivia Gilbert is about to find out just what it means to accept the Originals as family. [OC/Kol romance with Originals friendship/family moments.]
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer – this is one of the first stories I have written in what feels like years, so sorry in advance for the mistakes. Also this will deviate from the plot of the show. A lot of the main events will still take place, but they may not be in complete order or happen the same way, as it's my work of fiction based off the show. The characters are also a bit OOC.**

* * *

I watched him leave the room after Elena finished brokering a deal with him, "I say we trust him. When everything does eventually go down, I kinda want to have the thousand year old original vampire who apparently can't be killed by my side."

Elena scoffed, " _We_ can trust him all we want. That doesn't mean Stefan and Damon will."

"They don't have to. You know as well as I do that _you_ are their number one priority. Sure they care about me and want me safe, but they'd never hesitate to choose you over me." I told her as I got up from her floor and made my way to the door, "I'll continue to do what I want, when I want. My gut is telling me to trust Elijah. My feelings are never wrong."

"Olivia?" Elena calls to me as I open her door to leave, "Do you think he really knows why you're different?''

"I know he does. I saw it in his eyes the moment they landed on me when we first met him in the abandoned house with Rose and Trevor."

Smiling slightly at me, "I know you'll do whatever you want, whatever you need to do, but just be careful. You know Damon won't be happy about it, especially if it goes against what he wants to do."

"Darling sister, the word careful isn't in my vocabulary." I smirk, "Plus, Damon Salvatore doesn't control my life, nor does his opinion influence my decisions in any way."

Walking into my room, I close the door, turn on my Bluetooth speakers and proceed to lie in the middle of my floor on the fuzzy grey rug. My automatic go-to for when I need to just think.

Why am I so different? There is so much I want to understand, so many questions that I want answered. How am I alive being one of the bigger ones? I should've died in the accident with my parents. By the time Stefan – unknowingly to us at the time – got us both to the surface my breathing had stopped, my heart wasn't beating. And then, I was. My heart started to beat, and I started to breathe. I came _back._ No one understands why.

I can't be compelled. At all. Damon's tried and it never works. At the time everyone thought I had vervain on me, or in my perfume or something, but I didn't even know what vervain was back then. Even now I don't ever use any because it doesn't do anything at all for me.

I'm stronger than a seventeen-year-old _human_ girl should be. I always think back to the day that I shoved Damon so hard he actually stumbled backwards; everyone in the room looked between Damon and me with the best-confused and shocked faces I've ever seen.

That was the start of it I guess. I kept getting stronger, almost vampire strong at this point. I also gained a sort of sixth sense if you will, my gut – or rather my intuition, is never wrong. I can always tell when I should or shouldn't say something, if I shouldn't tell certain people information; it lets me know when I can trust someone.

That's part of why I was so damn calm when we were brought to Rose and Trevor. They didn't want to hurt us, they wanted their freedom, we, or rather Elena, was the bargaining chip.

Elijah. He – he wanted me safe. Even more so than Elena, it's strange, to feel that coming from someone, most people in my life haven't ever put me above her. He'd protect me with his life, I could see it by the way his eyes barely left my body. Not even in a perverted way, it was concern, brotherly almost.

I needed to know. It's driving me crazy lately, every day I wake up and just want the truth. Elena's special, she's a doppelgänger, the key to this whole curse that everyone and their fucking mother are so concerned with. She's human though. No miraculous strength. No crazy intuition. No immunity to compulsion, just a normal everyday human, just another thing that makes us different.

It's not surprising that we would be different; in the human world we are, so why should the supernatural world be any different for us. We couldn't be more different; it starts with our looks and ends in our taste in guys.

Elena, she's tall with a lean athletic body from her years of cheer. Her boobs and ass aren't all that big but they work for her body type, making her the perfect candidate to be a model. Her olive complexion is flawless and compliments her deep dark brown eyes and chocolate brown hair that flows perfectly straight down her back.

I'm petite, a solid five foot three inches. I'm not athletic in the sense that I do a sport, but I do work out four days a week, all things considered I've got an hour glass shape and my boobs and ass only accentuate that. I wish my boobs were a tad bit smaller, but I work with I got. I'm quite fair skinned, though I can tan in the summer when I'm outside. My pale skin makes my piercing blue-grey eyes really pop, since my face is framed by incredibly wavy chestnut brown hair that ends in the middle of my back.

By all accounts we're both gorgeous, neither of us is the 'ugly' twin. You just wouldn't automatically think twins when you see us together.

Our personalities aren't too drastically different; we're caring, giving, and loving individuals. We just tend to show it in different ways. Elena can be a bit too self-sacrificing, and I'm not nearly self-sacrificing enough.

She can put her nose into other peoples' business like it's her goddamn job. She's always gotta put her two cents in even when its most likely not needed. She's outgoing to the extreme, trusting as all hell, and peppy. She tends to put other needs above her own. Making sure that everyone in her life is taken care of and doing all right.

I'm nosey too, don't get me wrong, I always seem to get eventually know everything that is going on. I just don't ask for the information, they just offer it up as if I'm their fucking shrink. I'm trusting to a fault, I've been hurt a few more times than I'd like and with my handy sixth sense of intuition, it makes trusting people a bit easier. I'm outgoing, if I'm in a party setting or with our friends. I certainly don't shy away from danger, and I don't care much for other people giving me their opinions on my life choices.

Elena would rather hang out at a game, or some school event with Caroline and Bonnie. I would rather take my camera, my sketchpad and go for a hike or the park or even the art wing at school. I like my space, my solitude. The art helps keep my thoughts at bay. Helps keep me grounded.

As for guys, Elena dated Matt Donovan. The quarterback, the sweet, all American guy, now she's with Stefan and even with him being a vampire he's still the sweet, all American guy. She tends to go for the good guys, the ones who wouldn't dream of ever hurting her, the ones who do the little romantic cutesy gestures.

I dated a guy named Frankie Sorano, he rode a motorcycle, smoked cigarettes, hung out with all the wrong people, and above all, he was the bad boy. The kind of guy a girl sees from across the room and can't tear her eyes away from him. Most want to try and 'fix' him, I didn't. I loved that he was an asshole; he did what he wanted, when he wanted. He got me into all kinds of trouble, but I relished in it. Unfortunately, he also did _whomever_ he wanted. I can stand for a lot of things in a relationship, but cheating on me is the biggest no besides putting your hands on me in a violent manner. So I kicked him to the curb and haven't truly had a relationship since. Just casual for now, I don't think I could date the good guy if I tried. They bore me to tears.

At the end of the day, despite our ever-occurring arguments, we'd do anything for each other. She's the one person in my life who I'd help no matter what. Who I know will always be there for me.

A knock on my door brings me out of my thoughts. Turing my head and my body slightly on the floor I look up at my door, "Come in!"

Stefan's head pops through my doorway, chuckling a bit at the sight of me all sprawled out in the middle of my room, "Just wanted to check and see if you're all right. You've been through a lot the last few days and I know that we haven't had a chance to talk."

Ever the caring Stefan Salvatore, he's not always so bad if you get past the brooding martyr tear he can get on – I usually can't. He's always trying to do the right thing, be there for everyone he cares about. Help if you have a problem, always trying to get you to be a better person – epitome of a good guy.

Smiling up at him, "Never better! I've now got all manner of mythical creatures, which shouldn't even exist, protecting me. Even though they all know full well than I can't _actually_ die."

I can see the tension in his face, his eyebrows pulling together, "We'll get the answers Olivia. I know we've put that on the back burner lately, but I promise after all this curse business is done with. Regardless we care about you, whether you can die or not, we want you to be safe."

"I know Stefan. I know that you'll try, but Elena comes first in your life, no harm in admitting it. Besides, I know. _I know_ how to get the answers. _I_ will. When the time is right. Now enough chit chat, go give Elena a disgustingly sweet kiss, she's been out of her mind with worry."

One last smile at him, I literally shove him out of my doorway and lock it behind him. Turning around I walk over to my dresser and change out of my skinny jeans and long sleeve shirt and into shorts and a tank and finally get into bed.

Soon. I can feel it; I'll talk to Elijah soon. I'll get answers. Not all of them, but even a few are good enough for now, something, anything, to help me achieve a semblance of normalcy in my very abnormal life.

* * *

 ** _You can't seriously be sleeping still Olivia! - Damon_**

 ** _I'll give you until noon. My house. Don't be late. – Damon_**

Tossing my phone back onto my bed, I ignore the other texts that he sent me in the last hour. For fucks sake he started at about nine this morning, I don't do morning. He knows this. I love my sleep, even though I don't ever get much of it.

Jumping into the shower, I exhale letting the hot water sooth my muscles as I stand there. Content.

"Liv? I'm gonna go to the boarding house, Damon called. He wants me to take you, so hurry up!" I hear Elena shout through the door.

Sighing an obnoxiously heavy sigh, I proceed with my shower. Throwing my hair up in a towel as I rush into my room to look for clean clothes to wear. I've been way to lazy and seriously need to do laundry. So black skinny jeans, and a beat up _New York_ hoodie, and my trusty converse are the best that's going to happen today.

Letting my hair out of my towel, I quickly spray leave in conditioner throughout the ends, brushing through it the best I can without yanking my hair out in the process. My hair is much too thick. I need to desperately get it thinned out again soon.

Putting some moisturizer on my face with a little BB cream, lightly filling in my eyebrows, and putting on some mascara, my lazy day look is complete.

Grabbing my phone off the bed, and reaching for my bag, I head out to meet Elena downstairs.

"Damon is incredibly annoying today." Elena says as I grab a banana from the kitchen before we leave, "He's been bugging me every ten minutes for the last hour to get you over there. You mad at him again?"

Shutting the door to the car, "No. Not mad at all. Yet anyway. It was so early when he began his assault on my sleep. I ignored it and turned my volume off on my phone. He's just impatient."

Not including the fact that I haven't really hung out or spoken to Damon in over a week. He's off doing whatever it is he, well they do, and I'm clearly not a part of all of it.

The rest of the ride was silent aside from the quiet hum of the radio in the car. I absentmindedly ate the banana I grabbed and thought about what Damon could possibly want so badly.

In all honesty, I fully expect him to 'lay down the law' about Elijah and the deal that we struck with him; they both seem to think Elena can't make a decision to save her life, and they clearly haven't given up on trying to influence my choices. That's really got to stop.

Walking into the boarding house, I must tell you, this was not what I expected. At all.

"I'm sorry, my hearing must be going in my old age, because it certainly sounded like you antagonized a werewolf on the night of a fucking full moon. To which she retaliated by trying to bite and kill you, but instead, Rose pushed you out of the way and now _she's_ the one who has the nasty, no-cure-for, wolf bite…and surely you couldn't be that goddamn fucking stupid!"

Giving me his best sheepish grin, I smack him over and over again, "How." smack, "Can." smack, "You." smack, "Be." smack, "So fucking thick headed!"

"I didn't think okay?" He yells back at me, flinching away from each smack to his body, "How was I supposed to know she'd really make good on her threat. Mason was barely a threat, I figured she'd be the same."

Glaring at him, I turn around and walk off to find Rose. God help him. He is so self-centered, or rather so self destructive, he doesn't even realize how stupid he is I swear. Who antagonizes a werewolf on a full moon? Especially if you _know_ the bite will kill you.

Walking into the parlor I see Elena now sitting with Rose, instead of upstairs with Stefan. She looks so distraught, so sick. I know she's dying, but to see her look like this. The reality sinking in, this was _supposed_ to be Damon. Jules targeted him. He's supposed to be the one laying in pain, but he's not. He got lucky. Lucky enough that Rose thought enough about him to save his life.

"Where'd Stefan go?" I ask leaning up against the back of the couch.

"He, he left. I need you to talk to him Damon. He's convinced he needs to find Isobel, but I think that's gonna upset Elijah." She says to Damon, her eyes pleading with him to just listen to her.

"No can do. I'm with Stefan on this." He tells her putting the blood bag aside, "But if you two could play nurse for a little while."

"That's really not necessary." Rose argues, sipping on the blood in her glass.

"Yes it is Elena's a do-gooder. Its in her nature, she can't resist."

"Sorry Rose, I've got plans today. I'll stop by to see how're you're doing later tonight though." I smile at her and wave as I follow Damon and Elena out of the room.

"Damon? Is she gonna die?" Elena asks him in a whisper.

Rolling my eyes, "Of course she is Elena. Werewolf bites are fatal. It's like an infection, poison; it's only going to get worse. I gotta go. Good luck with all this."


	2. Chapter 2

Pulling up to the school, I almost want to vomit at the intensity of school spirit that is all around me. Trekking through the crowds of my peers, I search for Caroline. She's lucky I love her so much, because I would rather count spoons than do this today. I am definitely not the poster child for school spirit.

Spotting her talking to Matt. Oh Matt. That boy has been through enough of this supernatural shit to last a lifetime, and he doesn't even know about any of it. He doesn't know the real reason Vicky is dead. I doubt that he'll ever find out the truth. He should know, but he – _I know_ – he won't take it that well. Truthfully, I just don't seem to care enough to be the one to tell him.

"Holy shit." I whisper out loud to myself as I watch him grab Caroline and kiss her.

Even more shocked when she pulls away, she should be thrilled. This is what she's always wanted to happen. Yet she left him standing there, walking away from him with confusion and sadness on her face.

Running to catch up to her, "Care! Wait up for fucks sake!"

She stops walking and turns around to laugh at me, "You're in shape. You run like at least three times a week. Why are you panting?"

Glaring at her, "I'm wearing new shoes." I point down to my cute new-heeled booties. "I don't wanna ruin them before I can even enjoy them. But that's beside the point. What the hell was that back there?"

"I don't want to talk about it Liv." She sighs sitting down at the empty table we're standing by, "I mean I _want_ to talk about it. With Matt, I just don't want to drag him into this. He deserves so much more than this."

"Sweetie, Care-bear, light of my life, Matt clearly cares about you more than that. Sure it's not time to let out the big secret, but that doesn't mean that you should put your happiness on hold. If things go to hell, then they go to hell, but enjoy the good times. He makes you happy. You're dating, not asking for his hand in marriage. Plus wasn't it you who told Elena – girl likes boy, boy likes girl, sex?"

Scoffing at me, "Of course it was. You went right alone with it, practically dragging her to the boarding house. This is different though, with everything we know now. This town isn't exactly a safe haven for supernatural beings, yet here we all are. Hoping for the best."

She wasn't wrong. This town was probably one of the worst places to live if you weren't fully human. The entirety of the founder's council is to destroy vampires. Yet, here they all seem to want to live.

"Just try not to overthink it. Please. Let yourself live, I need you to trust me when I tell you that you're going to be really happy one day. Maybe not with Matt, but Jesus, you deserve the best Care."

Pulling me into a hug, "What would I do without you? Thank you. I know I'm one of the few people who actually know this side of you. So thank you. You're right. I just need a bit more time."

Leaving her to do all of her school spirit type duties, she let me off the hook and told me to go hide out in the art wing. Who am I to argue with that? Grabbing the canvas I had been working on in class, I began to work on it. Ignoring all the noise coming from outside the windows.

* * *

 ** _911 now. Outside the school. – Damon_**

Confused, I look outside and realize it's already dark out. I've spent more than enough time in the art room working on my painting. Grabbing my bag I head out to find Damon. Honestly what could possibly be going wrong now? Rose is already dying and as far as I know he hasn't managed to piss anyone else off yet.

 ** _We found Rose, going back to the boarding house. Go home. – Damon_**

They lost her? How does one take their eyes off a sick, hallucinating vampire? I mean really. Is everyone this incompetent? Walking to the car, I throw my bag in and sit in the drivers seat and start the short drive home.

This is going to throw Damon so off course. He won't admit it, but he cares about her. He genuinely liked Rose; she was a friend. She understood him in ways only someone who has been through it can. He'll sulk for a while, and frankly I'm not in the mood to deal with it all.

It's bad enough that he sulks around and makes stupid choices because of Elena. I mean, talk about repeating history. I can't say I blame him I suppose I envy them all. I wish I had people care for me, to love me that way. It must be a nice feeling even if its confusing the hell out of Elena. She won't admit it either but she cares for both of them too. More than she realizes.

Hearing voices in the kitchen I follow them, coming to a complete halt when I look upon the people in it. Stefan and Uncle John. _My father._

"What in the hell?" I blurt out before my mind can catch up to my mouth, and they both look up at me.

"Olivia," John smiles at me, "You're doing well I see. I know I'm the last person you want to see here, but if you let me explain, I'm only here to help."

Ignoring him I turn to Stefan, "Explain."

"I couldn't reach Isobel, she sent us John. He's here to help us Olivia. He knows a way to kill an original. He can help keep Elena safe."

Looking back and forth between them I realize, the thought of them killing Elijah is making me irrationally angry. I don't even know him and yet I feel as though I should be protecting him. Warning him about all this. It's how I feel about my family, when someone hurts one of us. And once again, it's all about Elena, Elena, Elena. Does no one seem to remember their empty promises of helping me?

"Keep me out of this. I don't want anything to do with it. I _know_ this is gonna blow up in your faces and I want nothing more than to be there to say 'I told you so' when it does." Walking out of the kitchen, I pause, "Good luck telling Elena he's here. We all remember how thrilled she was the last time."

Closing my door with a little more force than necessary I practically throw myself on the floor. John. My father. I've been conflicted in my feelings with all that since I found out. How does a person handle finding out that their uncle is actually their biological father? For fucks sake, he was there my whole life and I never once even thought differently. Elena hates him, basically always has, I don't. I don't hate him; I just find it hard to trust him.

He's always told me to pursue whatever dreams I had. Whether it was art or school or travel. Always told me that I could achieve anything if I put my mind to it and followed my heart. He never tried to change me, even after all the times he's caught me drunk stumbling through the door when he came to visit. He always acted like an uncle – never quite fun, but never overstepping his boundaries.

Now he's here, trying to act like a fucking father and that kills me. My father died the night we went off Wickery Bridge. I don't hate him, but he won't ever be my father.

My door slamming open makes me shoot up from my spot on the floor, turning inhumanly quick to look at who it is, I sigh out in relief at Elena's face.

"Do you know who's in the kitchen right now!" She shouts at me as she paces into my room.

"Gee Elena, so nice of you to fucking knock." I say sarcastically, "And yes. I saw him when I got back tonight. I told them I wanted nothing to do with whatever half thought plan they thought of; which also means I don't want to talk about it. Not tonight. I just wanna go to bed."

"We'll talk tomorrow. I already told John I wasn't doing this tonight. Will you at least be in the room with me?"

"Fine. Now get out."

With the close of my door I settle into my bed. My anger dissipating and my mood becoming more content; I needed to talk to Elijah soon. It was time.

* * *

I'm honestly amazed at how much feedback this has already gotten. I'm happy you all seem to be enjoying it so far, hopefully it continues to be that way.

 **JokerMidnight- I don't know if it'll be every** **episode, mostly because this story won't be following the plot completely. Some episodes may be cut out, or they may simply happen at a later time. You will get to see a little bit of Elijah/Olivia conversation in the next few chapters, but this story is slightly a slow burn story. The much more interesting bits won't truly happen for a few chapters. If I had to choose an actress to portray Olivia, I would have to go with Holland Roden.**


	3. Chapter 3

Two days. Two days was all it took for all hell to break loose in this town. Jenna knows John's our father – she was hurt, confused, she felt betrayed that we had known and never told her. I could understand that, we should've told her sooner so she wouldn't have been blindsided by the inevitable return of him. I wanted to tell her, but once again no one wanted to listen to me.

Caroline was kidnapped and tortured by the wolves. Everyone expected her to break, to lock herself away in her room and be afraid. She isn't that Caroline anymore; she was upset, angry and betrayed over what had happened to her. She was stronger than it, she overcame it, and she can handle anything that this world throws at her. She can even handle the fact that her own friend, Tyler, just stood by as they were going to kill them.

The moonstone. That stupid little rock was going to get more people killed. Tyler inadvertently let it known to them that Elena looked like Katherine, which in turn sent them on a hunt for the moonstone and Elena. Resulting in Alaric getting his neck snapped…again. And Damon being tortured by Jules and few of the wolves until Elijah came to save his life; yet they still believe they can't trust him.

Tyler left. Whether from the guilt of everything that happened, or because he felt that he could do better with Jules and whichever other wolves she knew that hadn't been killed. Caroline won't admit it, but she's disappointed and upset he didn't even say goodbye to her. I'm angry. He just left. He's been one of my best friends since the sandbox and he just up and leaves. With not so much as a fucking note.

I know they're all hiding something from me. Elena's still at the lake house with Stefan, but it's clear that there is more to that than just a weekend getaway. Damon, I can't trust him. He doesn't trust my judgment with Elijah, and I don't trust him to not get everyone killed.

I've never felt more alone to be honest. I feel so secluded from everyone now. We all went through the same thing, know the same things, and yet…I'm the only one to see the bigger picture. There is more to life than just Mystic Falls, more to life than just this sacrifice, this curse. Everyone is bending over backwards to help save Elena's life that they haven't even stopped to ask me if I'm all right. I've been there for them, let them cry, scream, complain. I've helped them all with their stupid, impulsive plans and they can't spare five minutes to help me find out more about myself.

Realizing that I had actually taken out my sketchpad earlier, I look down at what I was absentmindedly drawing. _Eyes_. A beautifully, intense pair of eyes, there was this emotion – this fire, in them. _Possession._ They were familiar to me, even though I know that I've never seen them in my life. I would be able to place who they belonged to if I have, they were the type of eyes your drowned so beautifully in; the kind of eyes that would be my downfall.

Suddenly my lighting was blocked by a large shadow, looking up I see Elijah peering down at my drawing. _His_ eyes lighting up with mirth and intrigue, almost as if he knows exactly why I drew them. I say nothing, waiting for him to say something first. After all, he did come over and interrupt my solitude.

"I believe it's about time you and I had that chat Olivia." Offering me his hand to help me up.

We begin to stroll slowly throughout the parks many different trails, neither of us saying anything for a few moments until we get more secluded.

"I know you can give me answers. I know you can tell me why I'm so different."

"You are correct in your assumption. I can tell you almost every answer you seek. I will. Over time, not all at once. There are a few more matters I must attend to before you can learn everything. For now though, I can tell you enough to put you slightly at ease.

"Everything in your life will change once I tell you. Are you prepared to learn things about your life that will possibly have you lose the people who are closest to you right now? Are you willing to keep things from your friends – your family – for the sake that they won't trust you with anything should they find out?"

I felt like my head is spinning. Literally spinning. What answer would possibly result in them not trusting me? I've never given them a reason to not trust me. Okay, that's a lie. I've made a lot of poor decisions and done some incredibly dumb things, but at the end of the day I'm a good person. Or I'd like to believe I'm a good person. I didn't ask to be this way, to be different.

Would I lie to them? I'd like to believe that I'd be the bigger person and just come clean about everything Elijah can tell me. I won't though. I know that I would lie to them in a heartbeat about it if I thought for one second they would judge me, or treat me differently, if I thought they would keep things from me. They would accuse Elijah of lying to me, that no matter what he said it couldn't possibly be true.

I can see it now, Damon with a drink in his hand, scoffing at me for believing the original vampire who clearly can't be trusted. Only he can be trusted. He's the only one who I know will be fully honest with me. Hell he just was. He was being completely honest with me about telling me everything I wanted to know, just not all at once. I'm thankful for that, because honestly, I don't think I can handle all the knowledge at once.

Was I ready? Ready to change my life? Ready to alter my world for good?

"I've never been more ready in my entire life Elijah. Regardless of what you tell me, I know you'll be honest. I know you'll help me." I tell him as I stopped to sit on a bench, "I'm human, yet I can't die. I have this amazing intuition that is basically a sixth sense. I can't be compelled, yet I've never taken vervain a day in my life. I'm stronger than a human girl should be – vampire strong. Please, just tell me why. Tell me the truth."

"The truth to put it shortly, you're immortal."

My head turns around to look at him faster than I ever though I could move. He didn't…I mean, I can't be, "How…is that possible?"

"My youngest brother, Kol, before we became the original vampires that you know of, was a warlock. He possessed an incredible amount of magic, he took it the hardest when we became vampires. He had lost his magic. Lost everything that had made him Kol. Until he told us that he had a made a wish, a simple wish, for a soul mate. He had sealed the spell with his blood, his magic, thus essentially making you possible to be here today.

"There has never been a twin to the doppelgänger before, yet here you stand. Kol searched for you for years before he realized that you had not been born yet. He had to wait, to be patient, something he is not. He lost his way, lost sight of the bigger picture. None of us thought it would take a thousand years to find you."

I'm immortal. I'm the immortal _soul mate_ to an original vampire; an original vampire who doesn't seem to feel guilt over ending a bunch of lives and living his vampire existence to the fullest. The thought should bother me, should make me disgusted and angry that someone I've never met has basically put a claim on my life. Claimed me as his. It doesn't though. It makes me happy, almost calm, like everything is falling into place. I'll have somewhere I belong. I'll have someone who understands me, will love me.

"I don't understand something Elijah," I turn to him, "If he's been searching for me for a thousand years, waiting to feel the pull of me being born…then where is he?"

Giving me a look I can only describe as guilt, despair and pity, "He's daggered in a coffin. Scattered in the ocean with the rest of my family."

My chest tightens, my breath caught in my throat, "But…he can't be. I mean I – wouldn't I know? Shouldn't I be able to tell?"

"It's a possibility, you for all purposes should be able to locate him just as he would be able to locate you. Unfortunately, Niklaus has seen to it that will never happen."

"Niklaus is your brother too isn't he? Why else would he take away your family?" I ask him, gently laying my hand on his arm.

"He is, however, that is a story for another time. One that I will tell you more about when we have a bit more time." He stands up, taking my arm in his and pulls me up so we can begin walking back towards my car.

"Lijah?" I ask him, noticing him raise an eyebrow at my use of a nickname, "If I'm immortal, why am I aging? What will that mean for me if I become a vampire?"

"You're life is tied to Kol's life, he became a vampire when he was nineteen years young. If you are still human by your nineteenth birthday then you will stop aging at that point. If you become a vampire, which I do hope is by my brothers doing as he won't be happy with anyone else, you will become the next original to grace this world. You will gain the strength and benefits of being one. The only way to kill you will be to kill Kol. If he dies, then you die."

I don't know what I expected him to tell me. Honestly, I had thought it was just some kind of genetic fuck up that led to me getting a sort of cool superpower with strength that surpasses the normal human being. I definitely wasn't expecting to hear the word immortal come out of his mouth.

To be honest, I don't know which is more shocking to me, the bit about being immortal or the part where I have an original vampire soul mate who just happens to be out of commission in a coffin somewhere with a pretty dagger in his heart.

Wait a minute, "If originals can't be killed then why the hell is a dagger keeping him in a fucking coffin?"

"Ah, finally caught on to that bit did you?" He asks as we reach my car, "Unfortunately for us, there is a way to put us in a sleep like state. It has the effects of daggering a normal vampire, only we don't actually die and it only lasts as long as the dagger stays in us. It's a special dagger with special ash from a white oak tree that we have made sure was destroyed a long time ago."

Nodding my head a bit, "This is, this is a lot. I mean, you barely told me anything really and my head is spinning. I – thank you. Thank you so much Elijah!"

I throw my arms around him, feeling him stiffen into the hug at first before his arms wrap around my smaller frame, "You're most welcome. You are family. A sister, I'll protect you as best I can from anything that may harm you. I feel as I should apologize to you though, you now know information that you can't tell your family, your friends. Are you still okay with all this?"

Pulling away from him, "I've never been more sure about anything. You're right, we're family. I knew from the moment that I saw you that I could trust you; I felt a bond to you. I couldn't explain it then so I cast the thought aside, but I won't betray you Elijah. You have my word that no one will find out about this from me. Hell they won't even find out about me being immortal until I feel they can be trusted with that."

"Your loyalty to my family is amazing. You don't have any reason not to tell your friends but you won't. The bonds you feel for us are strong. Your bond to Kol I imagine is intense now that you're aware of it."

"You have no idea. I feel this, this pull, this almost emptiness I didn't know I had. Like I need him by my side. Almost as if I should be out there searching for him like he did me, but I know for now I can't. I'm safer with you than I am with my friends, they won't understand. They're very – they get tunnel vision when Elena is concerned. They won't put my feelings first, they won't care how much you mean to me already or how much I know I can trust you."

"My cell phone number is programmed into your phone now, feel free to call or text me with anything you want, we're family after all." He smiles at me, "Now I must be going, I have a few more things to get done before the day is over."

With one last smile at him I get into my car and head home. Home. Such a strange connotation, the meaning can change so suddenly. A few hours ago I would've sworn up and down that the house I just pulled up to was, in fact, home. Now, now I know it's not. It's temporary. Home is where Kol is. I haven't even met this man, this vampire, and my soul mate but I already know there is no going back.

I've never been that girl, the girl who goes weak at the knees and forgets who she is or where she came from and runs away with a guy. None of the guys I've dated, or even hooked up with made me feel the way I do now and I haven't even seen him. I can imagine though, that he's every ounce my type. Clearly the ultimate bad boy, questionable morals, devastatingly handsome, with eyes that so clearly will draw you in, making you putty in his hands before you even know what hit you. I picture him with an accent, kind of like Elijah's, and that only makes my heartbeat a little faster.

Now I just need to wait, to be patient. I'm not very good with being patient, but I can't exactly go scouring the ocean to find him. I'll learn to be patient, for him. I can wait; after all, I have eternity.


	4. Chapter 4

_"_ _Darling," I hear a voice whisper to me, "Come find me, Olivia Darling."_

 _That voice, it made my knees go weak. It was deep, not too deep, the accent – so like Elijah's but more prominent, more intense. The passion, the possession in just a few words gripped at my heart – my soul. My name coming from that voice, calling me Darling, I've never been one for pet names but this voice, this man, he could call me whatever he wishes._

 _Walking through the dense forest, I follow the direction the voice came from._

 _"_ _So close Darling," he whispers again. His voice is like the wind; caressing my body as it whips around my frame, almost as if it could hold me, keep me here forever. "You're even more magnificent than I imagined."_

 _Entering a clearing, lit up faintly by the full moon lingering in the sky. I look around, finding a shadow – him._

 _"_ _Who are you?" I whisper out into the darkness. I don't move, not because I'm afraid, I'm content, waiting._

 _Within a blink of my eyes he's in front of me, still engulfed in shadows, the moonlight not helping to show me his features despite it lighting up all around me. He lifts his hands up to caress my face, holding the sides of my face in his hands as he gently tilts my head up towards him, "You know who I am Darling. My Olivia. My love. My soul. My destruction. My humanity."_

 _"_ _Kol," I whisper out, a small smile on my lips as I try to reach out to touch him._

 _He steps back, "Not yet Darling. Soon. I promise, you will see me soon enough. We'll be together forever."_

 _With that he disappears into nothing. Looking around frantically I search for him again, my head moving back and forth, my eyes darting all over the clearing. The once well lit clearing now getting darker and darker. I can feel the fear and anxiety making its way through my body, "Kol!"_

I shot up abruptly, my blankets thrown haphazardly on the floor. Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, "Just a dream…it was just a dream." I mutter to myself.

An incredibly real feeling dream, I can still feel his hands on my face, not too rough, still smooth and caressing.

"Olivia!" Jenna knocks on my door, "Did you want to come with me today?"

Getting out of bed I open my door, "To do what exactly?"

"I'm showing Elijah around the old properties today, I figured you, being the history buff in the family, might want to come along."

Smiling at her, "Let me take a quick shower and get ready. Thirty minutes tops!"

* * *

Looking in the mirror one last time at my appearance to make sure I look all right for the day. I have my hair in a fishtail braid that hangs down over my left shoulder, my makeup minimal today – a touch of concealer under my eyes, a little touch up for my eyebrows to fill them in a bit, a dash of mascara on my eyelashes, and a light nude lipstick on my lips. My favorite pair of black skinny jeans, paired with a loose fitting white V-neck t-shirt, my worn in leather jacket and my trusty combat boots. Finishing off the look with a delicate rose gold chained choker paired with a longer chain necklace with a dainty crescent moon hanging from it, a pair of diamond earrings, and a few rings on my fingers.

I looked hot, simplicity at its finest but I certainly know how to make it work and no one could deny that. Grabbing my cell phone and my wallet I run down the stairs to meet Jenna by the front door.

She shoves a travel mug filled with coffee at me, "Your beloved coffee. You're addicted to that, I swear."

Rolling my eyes at her I choose not to comment. The reality is, she's right. I drink way to many cups of coffee a day. It's the elixir of my life, I might actually have coffee running through my veins at this point instead of blood.

We spent the morning aimlessly walking through the property lines with Elijah, who was so clearly looking for something specific.

"Ah the Fells, one of the founding families." Elijah says with a smirk.

"Why do you say it like that?" Jenna asks him curiously.

"My research showed me that this area was actually settled almost two full centuries earlier, a migration from the northeast, Massachusetts to be precise."

"Massachusetts, like the Salem with trials?" I asked him, curious to know the answer myself.

"Which means, the ever lauded founding families, didn't actually found anything." He says with a wave of his hand.

Jenna scoffs, "Well I bet it was the men who made a big deal about being founders in 1860. Men are very territorial."

"Yes, they are." Elijah's says looking off a little bit, following his gaze I see Alaric approaching us.

"Elijah, this is my friend, Alaric Saltzman." Jenna introduces.

When did Alaric become _friend_?

"Yeah, I got your message about walking Elijah here through the old property lines. I thought I would, uh tag along, you know being a history buff and all." Ric says with a shrug, looking between Elijah and Jenna. "Where to next?"

"I'm pretty curious about the freed slave property owners. Some say, you know, the descendants of the slaves are the true keepers of American history." Elijah says with a hint of mischief in his eyes.

It's an off sight to see on him, he looks so amused by the jealousy and mistrust pouring off Alaric. I'll admit, it is amusing seeing him get so jealous over Jenna just doing her job, I mean I understand she doesn't know who exactly Elijah is, but Jenna's trusting instincts are pretty amazing for a human. She never did trust Damon, that's saying enough right there.

"Well I only brought the surveys. I got that list in my car, just give me a sec." She tells him touching his arm as she turns to walk back to the car.

"Alaric Saltzman." Elijah starts, "You're one of those people on Elena's list of loved ones to protect."

"So is Jenna." Ric says, defiance in his eyes, noticing me for what seems like the first time, "and so is Olivia."

"Oh please, what is he gonna do Ric? Kill us in broad daylight? You forget, I can't actually die and Elijah is a man you can actually trust." I roll my eyes, my hand moving to my hip in annoyance.

Chuckling at me a bit, "You don't have to be jealous. I don't really pursue younger women."

Laughing to myself a bit at the obvious joke that he made I look back at Alaric who clearly doesn't find it as funny as we do.

"It's a joke, Ric, lighten up." He pats his shoulder, links my arm through his and we walk towards Jenna.

The afternoon should have been better; it never really gained back the sense of easygoing nature, even after Alaric left. The tension that Jenna was clearly feeling was emanating from her. We decided to get some lunch from The Grill, which was the mistake of our choosing.

I tuned out most of what Damon, Andie and Alaric were even talking about. It had nothing to do with me, and I know I can't trust a word they're saying. Andie's been compelled to not divulge any secrets, and Damon – well Damon is basically a narcissist with sociopathic tendencies most of the time. I've learned that for the sake of my well-being, both mental and physical, its much better to just ignore almost everything he says.

"Olivia, you're most welcome to join us too, dinner parties are much more fun when more people are involved." Damon says with a fake smile plastered on his face.

"Sorry. I'll decline. I've already got plans for tonight." I look at Damon with clear annoyance on my face.

Dinner party? Am I really supposed to buy that? He's clearly using it as a cover, to do what I have no fucking idea, but a cover nonetheless. He has no desire to have people in the Boarding house, nor does he want to have dinner with Elijah. He hates Elijah; he doesn't trust him.

It doesn't help that Uncle John is back in town; I don't trust that, it's way to convenient. Either way, I'm not going to be a part of it.

"What she really means, is that she's going to a party to get drunk tonight," Jenna laughs at me.

"But of course I am. I'm young. You only live once, right Elijah?" I smirk at him.

"Right, one life to live. You've got to live it to the fullest, experience everything it has to offer." He says with mirth in his voice.

"Oh the dinner party will be boat loads of fun, don't you worry about that." Damon says with a glare in my direction.

"Right, well I'm going now. Elijah, will you get coffee with me? I didn't get a chance to pick your brain about some of those topics we had discussed earlier." I ask him with a smile.

"Of course, "He says offering me his arm, "Lead the way."

Leaving The Grill, I drag him over to the Coffee House, a cute little coffee slash bakery place in town, and sit outside in the more secluded seats.

"You can't trust them. Not ever really, but tonight especially. I don't know what they're planning, but I do know that Damon's been talking to my Uncle John and that is never a good thing. I mean the deception and fake kindness rolling off them back there was enough to make me want to throw up."

"Oh trust me, I know. They haven't trusted me from the beginning; I certainly don't expect them to now. I will be completely fine, don't worry so much about me." Elijah tells me, "If anything does happen though, I don't want you to interfere. They'll only suspect you know more than you're supposed to – which is true, but they have no need to know that."

"I won't interfere. I know you can't actually die, I just worry, there is a dagger floating around that can put you in a nice deep sleep if you're not careful. You're more like family to me than my actual family lately." I say softly, taking a sip of my coffee.

Smiling at me, an actual, reaches his eyes type smile, "You _are_ family. I suppose it's only natural to worry, as I worry about you as well. I will always do my best to be here and protect you. Now, you should go and get ready for your party tonight. I need to speak with Jonas about a few last minute details before I head over the Salvatore's."

"Alright, you'll call me tomorrow? We can so lunch and talk about the dinner party. Maybe you can tell me a bit more about Kol and the curse and what not?" I ask him as we stand up.

"Of course Olivia, first thing tomorrow I'll call or text you. Please be careful tonight."

Smiling at him, I give him a hug and kiss his cheek, and make my way home to get ready.

* * *

Waking up with a minimal headache was not what I was expecting. Honestly I can't remember how much I drank last night, which usually results in a massive hangover that makes me lay in bed and eat greasy food all day. Though I did actually drink water last night, so clearly that actually does help tremendously.

Rolling over I grab my phone off the bedside table expecting a text or a voicemail from Elijah about our lunch plans for today. Nothing. No text, no missed calls. Sitting up quickly, I call his phone, which goes straight to voicemail. His phone is never off, he said he never lets it die in case I need to reach him.

Throwing off my comforter, I run to the bathroom to take the quickest shower of my life, opting to brush my teeth while I'm in there to shorten my getting ready time. Ten minutes later I'm throwing my hair into a messy braid over my right shoulder, dressed in black skinny jeans, a dark red peasant top, and heeled ankle booties. Grabbing my ID and some cash I throw it into my phone case, grab my car keys and rush out of the house.

I don't even second-guess where I'm going. The Salvatore's have some explaining to do. I know they're the reason why Elijah hasn't contacted me today. I told him, I told him they couldn't be trusted, but no, no one listens to me. Instead, he sits there and tells me not to worry, that everything will be fine. Clearly it is not fine.

I don't understand why they can't just learn to trust Elijah. He's been up front about his intentions this whole time. Not to mention he's saved they're lives twice now, Damon would be dead without him. Of course, Damon Salvatore knows best, he acts like he's better, like he's ever actually been honest a day in his vampire life. Stefan isn't any better, he just pretends he is – martyrs his days away to try and make up for the fact that he's a ripper.

That's why I respect, trust, Elijah so much. He's never pretended to be anything other than what he is. He's a thousand year old original vampire and he acts every bit the part. He's trustworthy and keeps his word as long as the other party keeps there's. He's downright deadly when it comes to his family, the epitome of the protective older brother. He has no qualms about ending the life of someone who has crossed him or his family, and there's nothing wrong with that. That kind of loyalty is hard to come by and I admire him for it. I'm the same way, or I was the same way. I would've done everything in my power to protect my family, but I'm having a hard time defining who exactly is family to me anymore.

Walking into the boarding house I can hear voices in the living room, following the hallway down to it, I stop in the doorway. They're all here. Stefan, Damon, Elena, Caroline, Bonnie, Alaric, and even Jeremy. They stop talking when they notice my presence.

"What the hell did you do?" I ask in the calmest tone I've ever used.

"Took care of the Elijah problem." Damon smirks over to me as he takes a sip of his Bourbon.

"Just what exactly does that mean? You do know that he was literally the _only_ hope for saving Elena's life right?" I ask them incredulously.

"Liv," Elena sighs, "He was going to go through with it. He was going to let me die in the sacrifice anyway."

"You know this how exactly?"

"I did a spell, on Luka. He told me everything that I asked him about how Elijah was going to kill Klaus. He said that Elena had to die for it to happen." Bonnie says from her seat next to Jeremy on the couch.

Scoffing at them with a dark smirk on my lips, "He had a way to keep her alive. He told me all about it. Elena wasn't going to stay dead. Originally he had it made for Katherine but she clearly took matters into her own hands before he could tell her about it. He planned on giving it to you the day of the sacrifice. That's shot to hell now. You just signed your own death certificate."

They really amaze me. They all really thought that he didn't have a way to keep her alive. Of course he did, he just didn't trust them enough to let onto it right away. They didn't need to know about it at all honestly.

Remembering his words of me not interfering in any of this bullshit, I push the knowledge that he's most likely in the basement with a dagger in his heart out of my mind. For now anyway.

"You don't know if he was telling the truth Olivia. He could have been using you." Stefan said to me.

"Except that I do Stefan!" I yell angrily at them. "He told me more than any of you ever do. He told me about why I am the way I am. I understand so much more about my life and where it's headed now about the decisions I'll eventually have to make. And it's all thanks to Elijah. He couldn't tell me everything, now I have to wait for god knows how long! Thank you so much for not giving two fucks about me. He's the only one so far who can answer all of my questions, and now he's gone.

Gone because you're all so involved in this little bubble you've created for yourself. He saved your life! Caroline, you would be dead if it wasn't for Jonas coming to save you, same with you Stefan. Damon, honestly, twice! He saved your life twice! You would be dead, as in not ever coming back if it weren't for him! How you have the nerve to sit there and smirk at me like you know everything is absurd." I yell at them, my eyes hardening with every sentence.

"I didn't realize you were so close with him, how are _we_ supposed to trust _you?"_ Damon asked with a glare.

Scoffing at him, "You can't trust me? That's fucking incredible. I haven't been able to trust _any_ of you for weeks! My own flesh and blood and I cant trust you, it's like we're goddamn strangers living in the same house. How many times have you all left me out of your plans? Only to include me when you need my help or I got hurt in some way. That is the only time I've been included lately."

"Elena's human Liv, she needs more protection. Especially with Klaus out and about wherever he is." Caroline says softly trying to diffuse some of the tension.

"So just because I can't die, that means no one should be looking out for my well-being? You don't even know why I'm like this. You all just assume that nothing can really kill me, that's utterly fucked up." I laugh bitterly at them.

"Then tell us. If you know why, then share with the class." Damon demanded.

Chuckling to myself, "You mean like the way you tell me everything? Were you even going to mention Elijah to me? Did you really think I wouldn't have figured it out?"

They sat in silence, just watching me. No one said anything. Which spoke volumes to me.

"That's what I thought. So no, Damon, I won't tell you shit. None of you deserve to know the truth about what he told me. Just know that you made one of the biggest mistakes you could've made. Cause now I've got secrets, and let me tell you, they're better than yours."

Turning to walk out I pause in the doorway, turning around slightly, "You better tell Jenna. If you don't I will and trust me, you don't want me to do that. You have until tonight."

I was done with all of them and their petty bullshit. They constantly assume that they know everything, that they can't possibly be wrong about something. They are though, especially about this.

They live in this little world they created for themselves. They haven't really traveled they haven't really learned anything. They stay in their bubble and pretend. Stefan pretends to be human – he really lives in a bubble. A giant bubble of denial, he hates what he is, hates how he has no control over himself, so he pretends that he's normal. He's not.

Damon pretends he loves it – he doesn't. Becoming a vampire ruined him, it took every good quality he once had and morphed into who he is today. He pretends that he doesn't care, that he's over it, that he's happy. He pretends to be the epitome of a vampire, that he could care less how many people he's killed. It eats away at him deep down, he's been so angry with Stefan since the day Stefan forced him into this life. So he pretends that he's better at it. He's not.

They're going to get everyone killed one day. Caroline is to trusting of them, I mean she could be great, but she doesn't want to be a monster. She's a vampire, its part of the deal to relish in the darkness of it occasionally. If she would give in even a little bit to that side of her, she could have so much fun. She could travel the world, go to any college, date anyone, hell think of the shopping the girl could do. She won't though, she wants to be normal, to be so desperately the seventeen year old that she's frozen as. I can only hope that one day she'll realize her full potential, that I can bring her with me to see the amazing sights of other countries.

Elena is so blind by her love for them that she lets them talk her into whatever half thought plan they came up with. She constantly changes her mind about what she wants, as soon as they say differently, it changes. She's hardly her own person anymore, they won't let her be, they won't let her make any of her own decisions because she can't be trusted with her own life apparently.

Bonnie is self righteous in her witchy powers, constantly judging everyone who isn't normal, who isn't like her, whose morals aren't squeaky-clean. She's going to end up dying for all the wrong reasons. Jeremy, my little brother, the one who use to look up to me for everything, he's so influenced by them, by Elena, by Bonnie. He cares so much that it's going to kill him.

I at least want to get out of this town. I always have, I just have more of a reason to do it after high school now. I want to travel; I want to see the world and everything it has to offer me. I want to learn so much, about history, about art, literature. I want to learn about the supernatural world from reliable sources, from people who actually know what the hell they're talking about.

I have no desire to stay in a bubble, oblivious to the bigger picture. I want to relish in the darkness, I want to cause chaos, destruction. Then I want to rebuild it, make it better. I want it all. I want to be free.

* * *

I'm honestly shocked at how much feedback this has gotten so far! I really wasn't sure how well people would like it, but I'm super happy that you all do. Thank you so much for reading it so far and I hope you continue to like where I have this story going. I just want to say again, the characters are a bit OOC and you'll start to really notice that in the upcoming chapters that I've written out. Also the timeline may not follow the show, so there will be a few things that are going to be completely different - just a little warning.

 ** _MageVicky—_** _I'm not offended at all! The feedback is great! I don't mind at all that you comment on what you would like to see happen. A have a few more chapters already written out, but I will definitely think of you when Olivia and Kol finally meet each other. Hopefully I can make it as intense as you'd like to see!_

 ** _JokerMidnight—_** _I will be doing some flashback chapters eventually, also I will have some chapters or little sections in the chapters for Elijah/Originals POV too. Olivia doesn't have any kind of witch powers. It's more she's on the vampire side of things. You'll learn in the upcoming chapters that she has some friends outside of the 'Scooby gang' that she's close with – I can't say much on that cause I'm not entirely sure where I want all that drama to go just yet. I'm not sure how much or how little I'll be skipping of certain episodes yet, some of them may be cut completely from the story, or they may just happen differently than in the show. And for the last question, you'll just have to wait and see what happens when we come to that particular chapter. :)_


	5. Chapter 5

Walking into the kitchen to get my morning coffee I see that everyone is actually home. Including John, Alaric and Stefan.

"Oh good, you're all here." I say as I pour my coffee, "Did you actually listen to me for once or will I be the one to do it?"

"Olivia, please this isn't the way to go about this." Elena pleads with me.

"No way. I told you, you had until last night. Guess what? It's today and you haven't told her." I scoff at her.

I notice John smiling at the situation and glare at him, "You are as much to blame John. Knock it the hell off."

Jenna glances at everyone, noticing the obvious tension between them and myself. "Okay, what's going on here?"

"I had given Elena plenty of opportunities to tell you the truth in the past few months. I want you to know now that _I_ always wanted to be honest with you. _They_ didn't. I was outvoted every single time. Until now, now I just don't give a shit about what they want or what they think. So I'm going to tell you what you should have known for months now." I sigh annoyed at this entire situation.

"Olivia! She really doesn't need to be dragged into it!" Elena whines, crossing her arms on her chest.

"Actually, as I'm an adult Elena, I deserve to make that decision. I'm not an idiot. I have noticed the weird things that have happened lately. I want to know what the hell is going on around here. If Olivia is the only one out of all of you who has always wanted to include me, then I want to know. Now." Jenna says with a disappointed, hurt look on her face.

A smile on my face I tell her everything. Vampires, werewolves, doppelgängers, witches, originals, me, I tell her every last detail of what has happened since the Salvatore boys have entered our lives.

The real reason the fire happened at Dad's old practice, completely destroying the building. What really happened to the Mayor when he was thrown into the basement with the rest of the tomb vampires – including Damon, until Stefan saved his life.

How Damon tortured Mason for information about the moonstone, which resulted in Mason's premature death. How Tyler became a werewolf because of Katherine – Elena's doppelgänger. What really happened when they told her that she walked into a knife, why Katherine had compelled her to stab herself since Elena and Stefan had disregarded her threats. How there is vervain in her perfume, and now her bracelet – that it's the only way to stop a vampire from compelling you to do anything.

All about the impending sacrifice with Klaus. How he needs Elena alive just so he can drain her dry and break a curse. Elijah and who he really was, how much he had helped me with telling me why I've got vampire qualities without being one. How he's now daggered with a special dagger and ash in the basement of the Salvatore boarding house.

Isobel. That she is indeed Alaric's supposed dead wife, who really just became a vampire and left him for the supernatural world, and just happens to be mine and Elena's biological mother. That she has threatened us with Jeremy if we didn't comply to her wishes, that she's friends with Katherine and that John has been in contact with her the whole time.

That the Gilbert journals and everything written in them are completely true and have actually happened. It wasn't just some crazy family relative writing about nonsense; it was events they had actually witnessed.

I've never seen Jenna sit so still before in my life. Complete stillness, you can easily see the shock, the betrayal showing on her face. During story time she had made her way from her seat next to Ric to standing next to me near the island in the kitchen.

"Jenna, I know this is a lot to find out. This is why I didn't want to tell you, it's too much –" Elena began.

"No!" Jenna cuts her off, "Don't sit there and patronize me Elena. This is more than a lot to find out, mostly because I should have known about all of this already. You should have told me. Every single one of you has intentionally lied and kept this from me. You kept Olivia from telling me the truth for months!

"Of course this a lot to process, I just learned everything that has happened since the start of the school year in an hour's time. How could you do this to me? I deserved to know what is going on! I'm the one in charge Elena, not you. Not the Salvatore's. Not John. You were all placed in my guardianship, and you've all abused it to the fullest extent."

"I should have told you about Isobel. I just didn't want to ruin what we have. To put that on you." Alaric tells her quietly.

"Not telling me about her only made this all worse. I trusted you Ric. I trusted you to be honest and open with me like I've been with you. How am I to deal with the fact that for our entire relationship you have been keeping this from me? I mean for Christ sakes, I can handle this! I'm not as fragile as you all seem to think." She says scathingly at them.

"We just thought it might be better for you to not know, that you could continue to have a normal life without all of this on your mind." Stefan tries to mediate the anger and tension.

Ignoring him, she turns to me, "Thank you for telling me. I want to talk more about you and everything that Elijah told you when we're alone and have more time to discuss it. I need to get out of here for a day or two, I'm going to campus, I have a thesis to write and I can't focus here. You can come see me if you need anything.

The rest of you, I'll let you know when I don't feel as hurt and betrayed as I do now. If you're even thinking about continuing to lie to me, then you can all go to hell. I expected the secrets and dishonesty from John, after all I'm not a Gilbert, but I didn't think that the rest of you would do this to me."

Watching her leave I wait until she's up the stairs, "Well as much fun as this has been, I've gotta go get ready. Plans for the day and whatnot."

"You're really just going to leave? You can't be serious! After all the drama and issues you just caused and you're just going to leave?" Elena yells at me in anger and hurt.

Turning back around to look into the kitchen, " I didn't cause any of this Elena. _You_ did. I kept telling you, over and over for months that we should come clean and tell her the truth. Jenna deserves to make her own choices; she deserves to know what is really out there. Her not knowing was going to get her killed and you're all incredibly thick if you don't think so. Let her cool off, give her time to wrap her head around this and maybe she'll learn to trust you all again. She's going to be fine."

Passing Jenna on the stairs as she comes down with a large duffel bag and her backpack, "Keep the bracelet on, it's got vervain in it and make sure you keep up with the perfume, I even put some in your shampoo too. I don't trust that she won't try and have Damon compel you to forget this.

"I'm going to the city to stay with Chris for the night. I'll text you when I get there and I've already got someone from school to take notes for me since I wont be there. I just really need to get away from all this."

Pulling me in for another hug, "Have fun in the city. Do something crazy, get a tattoo or something, act like the seventeen year old that you are. I'll keep the bracelet on, and I'll continue with the perfume. In the shampoo is genius too."

Locking the door to my room I grab my carry on sized bag and begin to grab all the things I'll need for a night in the city. All my makeup, hair products, a few different pieces of jewelry, comfy clothes for when we're at his apartment hanging out, and a few different options for if we decide to go out somewhere in the city.

Christopher Hastings is a guy who I've known since the sandbox. He's one of my best friends even though he's four years older than I am, and he abandoned me to live in New York. Not that I blame him, I plan on leaving this little town as soon as I possibly can. He went for college as an art major and now he's an incredible tattoo artist – has his own shop and everything. He still paints and draws for fun, though sometimes he'll show his work in galleries around New York. He's one of the most talented people I've ever met.

Plus him living in New York has always given me a place to stay and a reason to visit the city. My parents never had a problem with me going to see him; it was always purely platonic, instant friendship between a four year old and an eight year old. They still saw us as those innocent little kids, thank god for that to, since he's the first person who ever got me drunk or showed me how to smoke from a bong.

I last saw him before school started, and with everything that's happened I've missed the last few monthly visits. I miss him; I miss the visits to his apartment, us gallivanting around the city like immature children who finally are out of their parent's sight. The short reprieve from high school, immature boy drama, and now it'll be a giant reprieve from all the supernatural bullshit going on in my life.

Grabbing my purse off my bed, I make my way to my car. Stopping for a second by the front door long enough to hear that Damon is now in the kitchen with everyone else. Smirking to myself, I run out to my car and drive away, leaving Mystic Falls behind for the next two days.

* * *

 _A/N-_

I know this chapter is a bit on the shorter side, but I had originally had this combined with what is now going to be chapter six. It was just much to long for me, and while I was reading it over I didn't like the way I had it so I separated it into two separate chapters instead. So don't worry, the next chapter is much, much longer than this one is.


	6. Chapter 6

"Please Chris, it's just a tiny little tattoo." I beg with puppy eyes.

I've been here for about three hours now, and for the last three hours I've been bugging him to give me a tattoo. It's his fault really, all day with him, watching him tattoo other people. It was bound to happen. I've always wanted a tattoo and I only trust him to give me them.

"Livy, you're not even eighteen yet." He sighs at me, not bothering to look up from the sketch he's working on for one of his appointments.

Scoffing at him, "So what? I have no parents to bitch about it. No one is going to even complain or bother you about it. Plus, you're the one who told me that you would murder me should I even consider going anywhere else for a tattoo!"

Seeing that he isn't budging, I walk over and throw my arm around his shoulders, laying my head next to his, "Come on Chris, just two little quotes. They can be all dainty and cute. I'm fucking begging you here. You know I hate the begging thing."

Feeling him sigh, "Fine. When I close for the night I'll do it. Now, you should go out and explore a bit. I've got a packed few hours since you decided to spur of the moment come and see me and I wasn't prepared to entertain you all day. I promise after we close, and tomorrow until you leave, I'm all yours."

Smiling at him, I kiss his cheek, "I love you! I'll be back around the time you close. Don't lock me out."

Two hours later and I'm dying for a caffeine fix, wandering into this cute little coffee and bookstore place I found, I order the biggest size coffee I can get.

If I ever did open a business, it would be something like this. Coffee and books. The perfect combination, maybe a little section for artists to display their work. Peaceful, the kind of place you can spend hours in and not have a care in the world.

Walking slowly through the bookstore section my eyes glance over the titles, grabbing the ones that intrigue me the most. I tuck the few books I grabbed into my left arm and make my way to a little table in the corner.

Opening one of the books I start to read the first few chapters of it, not long into the book I can feel someone's eyes on me. Looking up, I search the place for the culprit. Nothing. Not one person is looking in my direction, not that I can see at least. With one last glance around I focus back on the book. I'll wait. If it's important to whoever it is, they'll make their presence known eventually.

Another ten minutes go by and I finish off my coffee, setting it back down on the table I debate getting up to order another one, when someone sets a fresh cup down next to me. Stiffening a little before I take my eyes off the book in front of me.

"Hello love, I believe you know my big brother." I hear an accented voice say to me.

Turning my head to look at the chair across the table from me, I see an attractive looking man with a smirk present on his face. Early twenties at most, short blonde hair paired with the most intense blue eyes I've ever seen.

"Niklaus, I presume." I say with thinly veiled interest for the man.

"Call me Klaus, love." He offers as he sips on whatever beverage he got for himself.

"No. I think I'll call you Nik. After all, from what I know now, we're basically family." I smirk at him, my eyes never leaving his as I drink my coffee.

Laughing, "Well played love. Well played. I see Elijah has been filling you in on the role you have in our family."

"I would ask how you know it's Elijah who told me, but since you currently have the rest of your family daggered and supposedly thrown into the oceans, I guess that was rather obvious." I say with bitterness in my tone.

"Don't seem so put out, Olivia. Do you honestly believe I would throw away my family?" He asks me.

"No." I say boldly, "I don't believe it for a second. Elijah however, does. He's adamant that you have, that he'll never get them back. I have to believe that I'll get Kol eventually. Otherwise my eternity will be rather grim."

He stares at me, holding my gaze in his, almost as if he's gauging if he can trust me or not. I already know that I need to be cautious, not overly just enough. Though I know he won't harm _me_. It's in his eyes; their eyes always give them away. They aren't called the windows into the soul for nothing.

"You'd be correct in that assumption. I would never discard my family like day old trash. I was quite angry with Elijah when I told him that. I'm afraid he's harbored resentment toward me ever since." He admitted.

"Take me to see him." I said with conviction.

He looked at me, the war between letting me see Kol and keeping his family locked away from the knowledge of anyone going on in his eyes.

"Just…just let me see the coffin. Nik I need to see it. I swear on my life – on Kol's life, I will not tell anyone where they are. I just need to see him, to be near him even if it's only for a few moments." My voice sounded desperate, a tone I rarely ever used, and an emotion I felt even less.

"You will not pull the dagger out." His tone left no room for argument.

"I promise." I tell him.

* * *

Standing in front of Kol's coffin I hesitate, gently putting my palm on the top of it, taking a deep breath as I let my emotions settle. I can feel him, the magnet like pull stronger than I ever felt before.

Overwhelmed by my emotions I can feel the tears in my eyes as I lay my forehead down on top of it, closing my eyes. I've never felt more vulnerable than right now. Never felt more at peace and more at war with myself in the same moment. Being here, being this close to him and not being able to wake him – I must be a masochist.

"You're not going to open it love?" Nik asks with confusion clear in his voice.

Not lifting my head up, "No. If I see what he looks like, it will kill me. Being this close to him is enough for now, I can still pretend almost that he's not in there. If I see him, I'll want to wake him up. Want to stay with him and I can't. Just knowing that he's safe, that one day the dagger will be removed from his chest is enough right now."

"I will wake him, all of them," He tells me sincerely. "You won't be waiting for too much longer."

I can hear the vulnerability flow through his words. He wants his family out of these coffins as much as I want Kol, but he's scared.

"I know. I trust you with him, Nik. I should get back, my friend Chris will start to worry if I'm not back soon."

Placing his hand on my lower back he leads me away from the coffin, from Kol and to the SUV. The drive back I was quiet. The silence was far from awkward, it was comfortable, as if I had known him my whole life and this was the way we were. It's ironic that I can sit in his presence, the man who needs to kill my sister for some idiotic curse to help vampires not be kept by the sun.

Pausing, I turn to him, "Nik? The curse, the one my sister needs to die for, what is it really for?"

Surprise flickers through his face but is gone just as fast as it appears, "How do you know that it's not a real curse?"

"You're on original. The entirety of the sun and the moon curse doesn't even apply to you." I shrug, "I only just realized that it can't be real."

"You're more intuitive than I thought you were. You're correct, it's fake." He says with a laugh, "Elijah and I created the lore behind it many, many centuries ago."

"Why on earth would you need to create a fake curse?"

"There is a curse Olivia, just not the one everyone is so determined to end. The elements for the real curse itself are the same, I need a doppelgänger, and I need the moonstone. Which has been lost for centuries thanks to Katerina. What better way to ensure that I find it, than to have both species looking for it." A smug looked presents itself on his face.

"Are you going to enlighten me to the actual curse or beat around the bush?" I ask him.

"The real curse is one placed solely on myself." He sighs, looking away from me. "My mother, nasty woman that she was, was unfaithful to her husband. I am the result of her affair, an affair she had with a werewolf. My father, Mikael, found this out after my family became vampires."

Staring at him, the meanings of his words hitting me like a ton of bricks. _He's both._ A hybrid. Not that I should be surprised with the supernatural world anymore.

"You're a hybrid."

"I am. Or I would be had my mother not cursed me to appease my father. Not that it did any good at all. The bloody bastard started a war between the species because of it. My mother chose to abandon me, binding my werewolf side with the Petrova blood and a moonstone. The only way for me to become truly a hybrid, truly immortal, is to break the curse.

"I have spent a thousand years searching for a doppelgänger, finding Katerina was an accomplishment. Her finding out the truth behind why I needed her there, her running for five hundred years with _my_ moonstone was not part of the plan. Your sister I'm assured will not leave like Katerina did. She won't run will she?"

Scoffing bitterly at him, "Elena run? Please, she'll sacrifice her life to save everyone. Not that any one in her life will allow that to happen. They'll find a way to keep her alive you know that right? They won't let her stay dead."

"I have no doubts of that love. I won't bother asking for your help, I won't put you in that situation. I will however, ask that you keep our little meeting today to yourself." He tells me as we pull up in front of Chris' shop.

"I wouldn't help you regardless if you asked me to or not. We may be on the outs right now, but she's still my twin. Of course I'll keep this to myself, they have their secrets as they don't see fit to trust me anymore, so I'll have mine." Opening the door to get out of the car.

Pausing as I close the door, "After it's all said and done Nik, I'll help you with whatever reason you have for daggering your family. You're scared, I don't know of what exactly, but I want Kol. Helping you get rid of whatever, or whoever it is that's making you keep him in a coffin ensures me his presence in my life sooner. I can't die, so you can trust me to help you."

Not giving him a chance to respond I closed the car door and walked into the empty tattoo shop to find Chris.

Throwing myself onto the couch next to him, I bury my head into the pillow.

Laughing at me, "Rough day exploring the city?"

Lifting my head slightly to glare at him, "More like information overload. I'm quite conflicted in my feelings right now."

"You wanna talk about it?" He asks while he rubs my back gently.

"Not yet. I've gotta process it all first. I would much rather you tattoo me now." I say with a cheeky look on my face.

"Come on then trouble." He grabs my hand, pulling me off the couch and back to his station in the shop.

Sitting down gracefully in the chair, "You love me and you know it."

Surprisingly the tattoos didn't hurt me much at all. It felt more like a constant stinging sensation rather than actual pain – I'm definitely getting more in the future.

I didn't go with anything too crazy, just two quotes in Latin. Tiny, dainty lettering, they were simple. Exactly what I had wanted. I got 'Carpe Noctem' which means, 'Seize the Night' along my collarbone on the right side. As cliché as it sounds, I had always found comfort in the night, the moon, the stars, it all helped calm me down. My biggest decisions were all made during the night.

My other was, 'Non Omnis Moriar' which means, 'Not all of me will die'. Fitting for me since I really won't be dying anytime soon. A part of me will die when I eventually become a vampire, I'm not sure which part, but I won't die wholly. I'll always live.

Throwing my arms around Chris' torso, being careful of my tattoos, "I love them! They're absolutely perfect!"

"Damn right they're perfect." He laughs, "I'm happy you like them, they'll be there on your skin forever."

And what a long forever that will be, "Yes. Yes they will."

"Let me clean up and we'll head back to the apartment. We can go to Kyle's tonight if you want." He suggests to me as he moves around to gather everything up.

"Hell yeah! I miss Kyle." I say to him as I sit back down in a swivel chair and spin myself around. "He always lets me drink there even though I'm clearly underage."

"That's because he's a terrible influence, and I should really care more about that than I do." He yells from the back room.

"Oh please, you're one to talk. You're the first person who ever got me drunk, and showed me how to use a bong correctly." I laugh at him.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let's go."

* * *

"Kyle!" I yell over the music in the bar, "Did you miss me terribly?"

Looking up at the sound of my voice, he smiles and walks out from behind the bar, "Of course I missed you my little delinquent. Let me look at you."

Laughing, I spin around slowly, "I finally convinced Chris to tattoo me tonight."

"It was only a matter of time before he caved." He said pulling me into a hug, "You look good Liv."

Hugging him back tightly, "You don't look so bad yourself. How you're not off the market is astounding to me."

Grabbing Chris' hand I pull him to the bar and sit towards the end where Kyle usually works. Even though he owns the place he can't help but be behind a bar, really though he just wants to keep an eye on the place. He could never let anyone else truly take over.

This bar was his child, he poured his blood, sweat and tears into it until it became what it is today. A safe haven for people who felt clubs were too flashy, and sports bars were obnoxious and filled with drunken frat boys or older men reliving the glory days. He wanted a place for people like him and Chris to come and socialize and get drunk. He succeeded.

It's got a million posters along the walls, different promos from over the years for all the bands that have played here since he opened it about eight years ago. It was cozy, not something you generally say about a bar, but it felt like home. No matter how many times I'd watch him and whoever was working that night break up a fight, or throw out whichever guy thought they could hit on me that night, I always wanted to come here when I visited.

It was a place I could get trashed and not worry about my safety. Everyone who worked here knows who I am, knows to look out for me even if it doesn't look like I need watching after.

"So, you wanna tell me why the surprise visit to see me?" Chris finally asked me. I had been waiting all day for this question. Genuinely surprised it took this long.

"Just some drama with Elena and her boyfriend. His brother. My Uncle. Jenna. Her boyfriend. Caroline. Jeremy. Basically everyone in my life back home, I needed to get away. I just…it was too much, ya know?" I tell him as I happily take the shot Kyle placed in front of me.

"How can you possibly be on the outs with _everyone_ you know back home?" Kyle asks placing some drink in front of me.

"It's complicated." I shrug, hoping they'll leave it at that. Knowing full well they wont.

"Nu uh." Chris shakes his head at me, "You drove all the way here for the night. It's clearly something big."

"It's also not exactly a conversation to have in the middle of a crowded bar." I say back to him, determined to drop this for the time being.

"Then we can go upstairs to my office. Devon's here tonight and he can watch the place while we talk about your issues." Kyle said, walking away to tell Devon to watch the bar.

Groaning loudly, I grab my glass and follow him up the stairs. How exactly am I suppose to tell them what's going on when I can't even tell them the real reason? Sometimes I hate how fucking brotherly they can be.

"It's not that I don't want to tell you guys, " I start as I sit down on the couch, "I just _can't_ tell you everything. I don't exactly know how safe it is for you to know the details."

"If your safety is in question then we have every right to know. I've always looked out for you, that hasn't changed just because I live in New York." Chris says turning my body to face him and Kyle.

"Exactly, we're the big brothers you never knew you wanted in your life. You cemented yourself in my life the first night Chris brought you here, regardless of the fact that you were sixteen at the time and I should have killed him for bringing you here." Kyle says with a shrug.

"I won't tell you details. Not yet, I just need to work this out on my own first, but I can tell you bits. Elena, we, well we're not as close as we use to be. She's got this boyfriend, Stefan Salvatore, and his brother Damon, brilliant little love triangle they've got going on. Everyone is being dragged into it, Caroline was dating Damon for a small window of time but he didn't really want to date her. Really he just used her to get closer to Elena and to get under Stefan's skin.

I can ignore that for the most part honestly. It's got nothing to do with me and if they all fuck up their emotional life then that's on them. I found out I'm adopted, Elena and me. Uncle John, he's my biological father. Which as you can imagine since you've met him, was a fucking shock."

"John is your father!" Chris shouts amused, "Holy shit! Didn't see that coming at all."

"How do you think I feel?" I laugh, "I mean we never even thought any different and now he's, well he's getting on my damned nerves."

"Your sisters love triangle is not enough of a reason for you to run here," Kyle says softly, "Neither is finding out your Uncle is really your father. You're a strong girl. You can handle all of that. What else is going on?"

Sighing, "There's this guy. Well his family really, no one likes them. I mean, they don't think they're trust worthy, which I understand. I mean they can come off as dangerous and I suppose they are, but I really care about him. For the first time in my life I really want to let someone into my heart that way and I know that everyone will give me a hard time about it because of his family."

I could barely look at them, knowing full well I wasn't completely lying to them, but half-truths were still partial lies. I've never really lied to Chris before, always told him exactly what was going on and why I was angry or upset, until now. I can't exactly go into the whole 'supernatural shit is real' thing right now. They don't live in Mystic Falls so really they aren't in the middle of everything.

It's hypocritical of me I suppose, I was so adamant about telling Jenna and here I am lying to my best friend.

"Fuck what they think." Kyle says abruptly shaking me from my thoughts. "If they can't fucking let you be happy with someone just because his family may be a bunch of assholes then they aren't worth your time, regardless of who they are to you. Anyone who is a real friend to you will support you if it makes you happy, they won't turn their backs on you just because they don't like it. If they do, then you don't need them in your life."

"Exactly, they should respect your decisions to trust him. You clearly know the family on a more personal level than they do, which means you know the truths about them. If they can't accept that then to hell with them, you'll always have Kyle and me." Chris pulls me to him, enveloping me into his arms.

Letting out a shaky breath, I grip him tighter, "Thank you. For everything you two have ever done for me. I really don't know what I would do without you."

"You'll never have to worry about that. We aren't going anywhere." Chris says with a kiss to my forehead.

Closing my eyes to keep the tears at bay, "I know. You two will always be in my life."

The lie in that statement hitting me harder than anything that's happened lately, they wouldn't always be in my life. Eventually they'll realize I haven't aged, that they're getting older and I'm staying the same. I'll have to say goodbye to them. I'll have to leave them behind, I'll live eternity without my best friends. Without my big brothers there to watch over me and keep me from harm.

I've been happy about this whole situation, never finding fault in any of it. I mean I get a soul mate, a family out of it, but I'm losing family too. Losing two people who mean the world to me.

How do you say goodbye to your best friend? How do you let that go, knowing that they're going to live out their life wondering what happened to you. Wondering why you disappeared, why the goodbye had to be permanent.

Not even realizing I started to cry until I hear, "Oh Livy, calm down. You're all right, let it out. It's perfectly fine to cry."

I open my eyes to look at their faces, concern for me shining through clearly. Managing a small smile on my lips, I shake my head, "I'm fine. Honest. It's just…overwhelming, but I'll figure it all out."

"Come on," Chris stands up, bringing me with him, "I'm taking you home. You need to sleep because you probably haven't been getting much with all of this going on."

Hugging Kyle tightly I kiss his cheek, "I'll be back to visit soon."

Standing in Chris' kitchen I look out the window, watching the sunrise over the buildings. It's peaceful, the city, this early in the morning. Everything starting over, a brand new day, a brand new beginning. I barely slept last night, thoughts of having to say goodbye plaguing my mind. Instead I just laid there, cuddled into Chris, relishing in the safety of it all. The normalcy of it of out friendship, I could be me here. I didn't have to worry about the people around me dying, or keeping information from me. I could be seventeen here.

"Coffee?" I offer him as I hear him come into the kitchen behind me.

"You and the coffee," He laughs, but pours himself a cup. "When are you heading home?"

"After lunch." I smile at him.

* * *

 ** _A/N-_** _To help clear up any confusion on when I post, I post every week. Usually it's on Sunday, though it could be anywhere from Saturday-Monday that a new chapter will go up._

 ** _JokerMidnight-_** _I absolutely love that you enjoy this story so much. As for the sacrifice and Jenna…you'll have to wait and see what happens. We're still a few chapters away from that happening so I can't give too much away._

 _Thank you to everyone who has subscribed to this story! And to all those who have taken the time to comment your thoughts and encouragements, thank you so much. It means a lot to me that people are enjoying this, especially since it's the first one that I've written in about four years. I'm a little rusty, but I try to make sure the chapters are a decent length each time. Hopefully, this makes up for the last chapter being a tad short._


	7. Chapter 7

Driving through Mystic Falls I sigh a bit, it's the same. It will always be the same. Nothing ever changes in this town. I want change. I want to never have to come back here again. One day, hopefully right after graduation I can leave and never look back.

I notice a whole mess of cop cars and fire trucks outside of the Grill, pulling over I open my window, "Sheriff Forbes!"

She turns, smiling a small smile, "Thank God you were out of town. There was a fire, nothing major, but it caused quite a scare."

"Was anyone hurt?" I ask her, knowing full well nothing this normal happens here.

"Thankfully no, but I know Elena was here tonight so maybe you should head on home and check to make sure her and Jeremy are alright." She suggests.

Nodding, I tell her goodnight and drive off towards my house. Walking inside I notice all the lights are on, which means at least one of them is home.

"Is that all you have to say to me?" I hear as I walk into the living room, Elena, Damon, Stefan and Katherine. Lovely.

"This doesn't change the way I feel about you." Elena answers stiffly.

"I don't much like you, either, if we're going to be open. And frankly, I'd be happy to see you dead, but if we're going to try and take on Klaus, we kinda need you to be alive. So I'm not a threat to you, Elena. If any of you are going to believe anything, believe that." Katherine jeers at her.

"Well, this is mighty peaceful." I say with a laugh, "All of you working, _together._ Really, that's a fucking laugh."

"I didn't think you were coming back until tomorrow." Elena stumbles to get out.

Looking at her, taking in her almost scared like expression, _guilty._

"That was the original plan, however, plans change. I cut my trip short due to some emotional purging I got done. I was very enlightened on my little trip. Even got two new tattoos as a celebration." I tell her, "Now, what the hell did you do while I was away, hmm? Don't bother trying to lie about it, there is no other reason for Katherine to be anywhere near our house unless you pissed someone off."

Silence. Of course I was met with silence. It would probably kill them to be honest and tell the fucking truth just once, just once to tell me what was going on without me having to pry it out of them.

"Okay, Katherine, you tell me seeing as my sister feels she doesn't need to and Salvatore one and two aren't any help at all." I turn to her, an expectant expression on my face.

"Well, Luka is dead. That's semi my fault I admit, though most of that is Damon, he tried to burn Elijah's body to get the dagger back. Bonnie doesn't have her witchy powers, I think you knew that though." She laughs sardonically, "Oh, and Jonas is dead in the upstairs bathroom. Did I forget anything?"

"…There is a dead body in this house?" I ask calmly, turning to look at Elena, "Get. It. Out. Jenna is on her way home tonight and the last thing I need her to see is a dead fucking body."

"I'll take care of it." Damon declares as he heads for the stairs.

"Take Katherine with you. It's one thing for Jenna to know about this, she doesn't need to see the Elena look-alike all covered in blood either." I tell him, turning sharply and heading towards the kitchen.

There's a bottle of wine I had put in the back of the fridge, what a more perfect time to drink than right now. Grabbing the biggest wine glass we have, I pour much more than the allotted amount you should pour into a wine glass, and take a gulp of it before setting it down on the counter and turning to face the other occupants in the room.

"What the hell were you thinking Elena? No, don't answer that, you weren't thinking. You never think." I grit my teeth, "I get that you're scared but honestly, the Martins did nothing to you. Nothing and now they're dead because of the choices you all have made."

"It was an accident. Luka, we didn't even know what was going on! We just thought it was like some spirit or something trying to pull the dagger out! We didn't know it was a person!" Elena shouts at me, "Jonas practically burnt down the Grill, Matt was hurt and Caroline. We needed to take care of it. He wanted me dead!"

"His son was just killed! He wasn't thinking rationally Elena! He was upset, he wants his daughter back, and now, he's dead as well. I mean, Jesus, how many more people have to die for you?" I question incredulously.

"Liv? You back yet?" I hear Jenna call out as she opens and closes the front door.

"Kitchen!"

"I was hoping it wouldn't be this tense here after we got away for a few days." Jenna states with a hint of disappointment.

"It would've been. I'm actually perfectly happy with how my little trip went, got two tattoos, and had an incredible conversation with a new friend. It was relaxing, just what I needed. But of course, I come home to the most hostile environment ever." I tell her, grabbing the wine and sitting at the table.

"Stefan, maybe you should go home." Jenna says as a suggestion, "It's late."

"Yeah, sure." He kisses Elena, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." She tells him.

Looking at Jenna, I fake gag at the scene in front of us and she laughs, stealing a sip of my wine. Scowling at her I grab the glass back and hold it protectively in my hands, "Get your own."

"I'll do you one better, I'll get the ice cream and we share." She smiles.

"You're my favorite Aunt." I beam at her.

Snorting at me, "I'm your only Aunt."

"Doesn't make you any less my favorite."

"Are you both seriously going to ignore that I'm standing right here?" Elena asks loudly, her hands on her hips.

"We're not ignoring you Elena, we're merely having a conversation with each other that doesn't involve you." I tell her with a roll of my eyes.

Hearing the doorbell ring, I look around, confused.

"Who the hell actually rings the doorbell that we know?" I ask them.

Following Jenna to the door, my eyes going wide in shock.

"Hi, you must be Jenna. I'm Elena and Olivia's mother"

"Isobel." Elena seethes.

"Hello Elena, Olivia. It's nice to see you again." Isobel says with a small smirk on her face.

"I should be more surprised than I am." Jenna utters quietly, looking back at the guilty look on Elena's face.

"So you're the woman who's dating my husband. I need to speak with Elena, may I come in?" She asks Jenna.

Scoffing at her, "No. I know who you are, what you are. I won't invite you into this house, if they would like to speak to you, they'll let you know."

"You need to leave, Isobel. We don't want to talk to you." Elena quickly says to her, closing the door.

"Yes, because closing the door makes her disappear. She'll just come back, you know she will." I tell her.

"I never…I mean I know you said she was still alive. I just never thought I would have to come face to face with her." Jenna mutters out quietly, "I'm gonna go to sleep, we can discuss this more in the morning."

"Goodnight Jenna." I say to her, pulling her in for a quick hug, "Don't worry about her too much, but try to watch your back, she's a devious little bitch."

Waiting until I hear her door close, I turn to Elena.

"You need to sort out your goddamn mess. Jenna may know everything now, but that doesn't mean that she wants her boyfriends, dead-vampire-wife showing up on her front fucking porch!" I glare.

"It's not all my fault. She's your mother too! Plus she wanted to talk to the both of us, not just me." Elena frowns.

"Exactly. Except I have enough common sense to meet with her in a public area, away from the place that I live. I don't want her here. I don't want her in my life. She is literally nothing to me but the woman who gave birth to me, I don't need her help." I march upstairs, "I'm done with this conversation, I'm tired, and I've been in a car for hours. I'm going to sleep. If you think you can be honest with me, then we can talk tomorrow."

* * *

A knock on my door brings me out of the chapter I was reading, barely glancing up, "What?"

"Olivia, can you come downstairs? I need to speak with you, Elena and Stefan." John tells me as he opens my door.

"I don't have much to say to you." I express to him going back to my book.

"Please. It's important." He insists.

Muttering incoherently under my breath I follow Elena and Stefan down the stairs, practically colliding with her back as she stops suddenly. Looking around her, I see Isobel walking out of the kitchen. Turning back towards John, a frown on my face.

"I asked John for a do-over." Isobel says blankly.

"You invited her in?" Elena asks him disbelievingly.

John sighs, "She has information about Klaus. Please, just listen to her, okay?"

Stepping away from Elena as Stefan rubs her arms and steps forward, "All right. What do you know?"

"Since I was last here, I've been doing everything possible to try and find Klaus. We knew our best chance was to find him before he could find you." Isobel says, watching Elena pace annoyed in front of her.

"Best chance at what?" Stefan asks.

"Keeping Elena alive." John inputs.

"You don't get to talk." Elena scoffs at him, "Not after everything you've done."

"Did you find him?" I ask from my position, leaning against the counter, "I mean, we're you even able to find Klaus?"

"No. Nobody knows where he is, but there are these rumors flying around that a doppelgänger exists." Isobel says, and I have to hold back the mocking laugh that almost leaves my throat.

I know where he is. Hell I have his fucking phone number in my phone, though I'm not entirely sure when he put it in there.

"Which means that any vampire that wants to get in favor with Klaus will be lining up to capture you." John says looking directly at Elena.

Glancing at Stefan, Elena turns to them with a skeptic look on her face, "I'm not buying any of this. The last time that you were here, you made it clear that you didn't give a damn about me. Or Olivia. Now all of a sudden I'm supposed to believe that you wanna help?"

"Isobel's been helping all along." John says, trying to diffuse some of the tension that is building rapidly in the room, "Klaus has been obsessed with finding Katherine for centuries. All it would take was one of the 1864 tomb vampires to spread the word around that Katherine was still alive, and it would bring him straight here to Mystic Falls. Where you were bound to be discovered, so we killed them."

"And almost killed Stefan and Damon in the process!" She yells at them.

"Yeah – " John says before Isobel cuts him off.

"I have a safe house that I can take you to. The deed is in your name. No vampires can get in without your permission, not even me. Let me help you." She pleads with Elena.

"You wanna help?" Elena asks sarcastically, "Then get the hell out of my house."

Isobel turns away from her slightly, looking at me, "You want me to leave too?"

Shrugging a bit, "I personally don't give a damn what you do Isobel. No one is after me, and even if they were, I can't die. I do want you out of this house. Jenna doesn't need the added stress of having you around. Stay in town. Don't stay in town. I don't care, but you will get the fuck out of this house, and never come back."

Looking towards John, she nods and silently makes her way to the front door. Leaving the rest of us standing there in silence until John quickly follows her lead.

"Come on, Damon should be back by now." He tells us.

Sitting in the Salvatore's parlor, a glass of Bourbon in my hands I lean comfortable against the side of the couch, my feet stretched out in front of me as I face Elena.

"Do you really think that Isobel's telling the truth, that words gotten out about the doppelgänger? Elena asks them.

"Look, I don't trust a word she says, but I think we'd be stupid to ignore the warning." Stefan says with a shrug of his shoulders, his face pulling between his eyebrows like it does when he's stressed.

"You should just stay here." Damon proposes, "It's better for us to keep an eye on you."

Laughing, slightly louder than I intended, "What? In the house that any vampire can enter? You're an even bigger idiot than I thought."

"Olivia's right, their house is safer." Stefan agrees with me.

"Okay, so we'll stay there then." Damon concludes.

"So what? Neither of you let me out of your sight again? That's the new plan?" Elena asks annoyed.

"Let me know when you come up with a better one." Damon tells her with a smirk.

"Fine. Then one of you two bodyguards has to come with me to the Lockwood luncheon." Elena sighs rather dramatically.

"That would be me." Stefan smiles at her.

"Not me. I have witch stuff to attend to with Bonnie." Damon says.

Sitting up quickly, careful not to spill the drink in my hand. "What witch stuff? I thought that Bonnie had lost her powers?"

Damon looks over towards Stefan, "Yeah, about that, Jonas sort of gave them back to her the night we killed him. Along with a way to kill Klaus."

"And you were planning on telling me this when exactly?" I ask them, the anger evident in my voice.

"When you needed to know. You heard, therefore, now you needed to know." He says with a smugness.

Interrupting what would have been an argument, Elena asks, "Does that mean you're taking her to the –"

"Shh…" Damon says cutting her off, as Katherine walks into the room.

"Don't get quiet on my account." She tells them walking over to lean on the couch above me, "If you have a plan to combat the impending vampire doom, please do tell."

Realizing that not one of us is willingly going to tell her anything, "Seriously, what is the plan to get us out of this mess, hmm?"

"Oh come on now Katherine, you don't expect them to tell you anything do you?" I ask her scoffing, "They barely tell me anything and they like me a hell of a lot more than they like you."

Scowling at me, she ignores what I said, "I delivered you a moonstone, a werewolf, and the dagger to lure and kill Klaus, and right now all you have is the moonstone. Or so you tell me."

"No. We have it." Damon assures her.

"Where is it?" She asks him, a little too eager.

"It's in a very safe place." Damon taunts.

"I've been honest with you this whole time. It's time to repay the favor." She tells him.

"Let me be honest with _you_. Don't mistake the fact that we haven't set you on fire in your sleep for trust."

"Fine. Be that way." She mutters, walking out of the room.

* * *

Waking up to someone shaking my arm, "Olivia. Olivia, wake up."

Groaning a little I open my eyes, looking around to see the interior of a car. Sitting up, I look ahead of me. Isobel. Turning to my left I look at Elena, "What the hell is going on?"

"I don't know, I woke up and we were here. I don't know who she's talking to." She tells me.

"-I had to do what I was told. He wanted the moonstone and he wanted you." I listen to Isobel say.

Nik. Of course, I don't know why I didn't put it together sooner than right now. There's no way she would know so much about all of this, no way he would let Isobel get remotely close to him unless she could be of use. She can be compelled, compelled to betray Katherine. After all, she has been running for centuries now, I can only assume that he's well past angry with that.

"It's gonna be fine Elena." I tell her when she grabs onto my arm, tighter than needed.

Looking around as the SUV comes to a stop. A cemetery. Not exactly the place I had thought we would end up at today.

"Just because you two can't be compelled doesn't mean I can't force you to come with me." Isobel tells us as she gets out of the car.

Nudging Elena towards the open door, I get out after her. Looking around as the SUV drives off, leaving us here.

"So is that what happened then? You were compelled to betray Katherine." Elena asks with a wave of her arms as we walk towards a grave.

"If I was, I couldn't tell you." Isobel states.

"So you lied. You did find Klaus didn't you?" I ask her, more than curious about how that had happened.

"Are you taking me to him?" Elena asks her.

Watching Isobel bend down to move some dead leaves out of the way, I glance down at the grave we're in front of. _Isobel Flemming._ Her grave. Now this is more than morbid, I mean who takes their daughters, to her own grave?

"What is this?" A frustrated Elena asks her.

"My parents, your grandparents, they put it here when it became clear that the police weren't gonna find my body. They visit every week with flowers, even though there's no one buried here. The Isobel they knew is dead. So maybe there's a part of me that's buried here, the – the human part. The part that I abandoned when I chose to become a vampire, the part that use to dream of the day she would get to know her twin daughters." She turns to look at us, a warm smile on her face.

"What?" I ask her quietly. Not entirely believing my ears.

"Instead, you got to meet the other part. The part that would betray her own flesh and blood." She says as her phone rings.

Elena reaches out to grab onto my arm, almost anchoring herself to me, to keep herself grounded, to keep herself from crumbling under the weight of that information.

"Yes." Isobel says into the phone, "Let her go?"

We turn to look at her, let us go?

"I'm done?" She asks with a sad smile on her face.

Hanging up the phone with a sigh, she closes her eyes.

"Who was that?" Elena asks her.

"I'm so sorry Elena, Olivia…that I was such a disappointment to you both." She tells us with tears in her eyes, her hand reaching up to grasp her necklace.

 _Her daylight necklace._

Taking a step forward, "What are you – " I barely get out before she rips it off her neck.

Stepping back into Elena, her arms wrapping themselves around me as we stand there and watch her burn in the sun. Screaming out in pain. Frozen, we can't look away from it.

Gasping, "Oh…my god." I cry out.

Standing there with Elena, I can feel the tears in my eyes forming. I didn't…I don't know how to process the scene that played out in front of me. Watching my birth mother die before my eyes, and all I can feel is shock. Not sadness like I can tell Elena feels the tears she's got are pure agony and sadness over watching someone die. Mine, mine are pure shock. I've never seen anyone die that way before, not standing two feet in front of me. I'm not sad about it, I'm almost numb to it.

Pulling Elena into a hug, I hold her as she lets herself gasp a bit, the emotional side of her taking over as she grips onto me tightly and lets it all out now.

"Call Stefan, Elena. I want to go home." I tell her as I pull away, briefly looking down at the unrecognizable body of Isobel before walking away, towards the entrance of the cemetery.

* * *

 _Thank you **kate1243** for the author suggestion! I definitely enjoyed reading some of their stories._

 _ **yasminasfeir1 & RomanticBlondie -** I do have a few different plans that I'm writing to keep Chris and Kyle in the story for the long haul! _


	8. Chapter 8

Everyone seems to be running around like chickens with their heads chopped off. After Isobel's very untimely death, the fact that Nik knew exactly where Elena is, it's making them all on edge. They're incredibly more paranoid about it, especially since Katherine seems to be missing now.

Realistically, that just means that Nik finally caught up to her. I can only hope that he'll actually kill her.

Damon believes that our house is no longer safe for Elena to stay at. Apparently, it makes more sense to have her stay at the boarding house…that any vampire can enter _without_ an invite. Luckily Stefan brought logic back into it and for now she's staying at home.

I told them that if they really want her safe, they should just do what Isobel was going to do. Safe house. Give her the deed to the boarding house until this blows over, if she's the solitary owner then only she can invite vampires inside. I can only hope she won't be an idiot and invite someone she doesn't know inside.

Honestly though, if Nik wants her then nothing, even the deed to a house is going to stop him. He's much to determined. They're all truly underestimating him. The only reason they managed to dagger Elijah was because he was careless and chose not to take my warning seriously.

I'll make sure to yell at him about it when he's no longer daggered.

I've been considering taking the dagger out since the cemetery. If they want Elena to survive the sacrifice, that I'm sure will happen no matter what preventive measures we all take, they need him. More so, they need the elixir he has. And since I have absolutely no idea where he hid it, I need him awake and coherent to help. I'm not so sure how willing he'll be to help the people who stabbed him in the heart, but we can hope that he believes its worth it. That he cares about me enough to not let my sister die.

I want to tell him that his siblings aren't buried at sea, but I know he won't believe me at all. I won't be able to prove it to him. If he knew that I had sat there and had a full-length conversation with Nik, let alone got into a car with him and drove to an unknown destination, I think he would lock me away and question my sanity.

Hell, I questioned my sanity a little bit after that too.

I can't say I'm unhappy I did though. I got to be near Kol, even for the brief amount of time that it was, I feel more at peace after it. I don't know how sane that makes me. The fact that I can feel peace being so close to an original vampire who single handedly slaughtered villages for fun. If I believed in doctors they would probably tell me I was unstable.

Hearing a knock on my door, "What?"

Elena's head peaks through, "Stefan brought over some pizza if you want any."

Realizing that if I wanted to remove the dagger from Elijah I should probably do it tonight. If Stefan is here, then only Damon is at the house. Most likely with Andie, and hopefully distracted enough to not notice me walk in.

"No thanks, I've actually got some plans tonight." I tell her with a smile as I slip on my converse and walk past her down the stairs. "I'll probably be home late."

"Okay. Have fun!" She calls as I leave.

* * *

Walking into the boarding house as quietly as I can, I pause for a moment to listen. Completely silent, hoping that Damon is out at The Grill getting drunk with Alaric, I quickly make my way to the basement stairs.

As my hand touches the handle to open the door to the cell like room that Elijah's body is in, I hear, "What exactly do you think you're doing Olivia?"

Freezing, I close my eyes. Turning around to look at Damon, his arms crossed over his chest, the damn smirk on his face as he leans against the wall behind me.

"What does it look like Damon?" I ask him incredulously.

"Well…it looks like you're tying to get into the cell that Elijah is in to take the shiny little dagger out." He says walking towards me, stopping when he's a foot away, "But I know you're not _that_ stupid."

"Damon. We need him awake. He's the only chance we have at keeping my sister alive. Ni – Klaus won't stop trying to get her and when he does eventually succeed, only the elixir that Elijah has will be able to keep her from really dying." I tell him with a glare.

"I won't let you do it, Olivia." He says to me, his expression growing slightly darker.

Scoffing at him, "And just how are you going to stop me?"

"Since you can't die. Like this." He says as he places his hands on my neck.

* * *

Groaning at the bright light that is the sun, I roll back over and bury my face in my pillow.

Freezing. I remember Damon and the cellar.

Sitting up quickly I look around and realize I'm back in my room. In my bed.

Damon fucking Salvatore snapped my fucking neck.

Fuming I get out of bed and get ready. Determined to make a quick pit stop before school.

Grabbing some black skinny jeans, a loose white V-neck, a red flannel to tie around my waist and my well-worn combat boots, I throw them on. Putting on some rings and a simple necklace, I sit down at my vanity to put my hair into a fishtail braid over my shoulder. Deciding on a slightly bolder look for my makeup I do a brownish-red smoky eye, with thick winged eyeliner. Settling for a dark greige lip.

Picking up my backpack I grab my keys and head out of the house.

Pulling in to the driveway, I notice another car pulling out. Walking into the boarding house behind Stefan and Damon, I realize they must have taken my advice and actually signed the house over to Elena.

That alone is shocking. No one ever listens to me.

"Liv? What are you doing here?" Elena asks me when she sees me walk inside.

"Oh, I've just got a bone to pick with Damon is all." I tell her with a smile on my face.

Walking over to him, I take the glass of bourbon out of his hand and throw it across the room so it shatters as it hits the wall. Taking the stake I hid in my boot, I thrust it into his chest, nearly hitting his heart.

"The next time you snap my fucking neck Damon Salvatore, trust me when I tell you that it will be the _last_ fucking thing you ever do in this life." I growl at him. "Whatever trust I had for you is gone."

Shoving the stake a little harder into his chest, he grunts out in pain, afraid to move but the look in his eyes clearly tells me if he weren't so afraid of dying he would have already thrown me away from him.

"Do I make myself fucking clear?" I ask him.

"Crystal." He groans out in a shallow breath.

Removing the stake harshly, I shove him as hard as I can away from me. His body falling backwards, landing on the floor, "You seem to forget that I'm as strong as you are, Damon. I wouldn't forget it again."

Turning around I look at Elena, Bonnie and Stefan's varying degrees of shocked expressions.

"Jesus Christ Olivia! What the hell was that?" Bonnie asks me with her eyebrows raised slightly.

"He snapped my neck last night because we had a difference in opinions. I'm just making sure he remembers not to _ever_ fucking do it again." I tell them with a shrug, "I'm not the most forgiving."

"He snapped…and you shoved…what the hell happened last night?" Elena sputters.

"Like I said, we had a difference of opinion. Damon clearly solved it by killing me for a short amount of time." I say walking to the door, "I'll see you both at school."

* * *

Sitting at the desk next to Elena, she turns and shows Stefan a flyer for the sixties decade dance tonight. Turning to look at him, he shakes his head with a look that clearly says 'No way in hell'. Looking at Bonnie, then me, we both shrug and smile.

"Why not? We could all use another dance, the last one went _so_ great." I tell her rolling my eyes.

 ** _How're things back home? Any better? – Chris_**

Smiling at my phone I text him back as Alaric enters the classroom.

 ** _Yes and no. I'll tell you more about it later._**

"Hello, class." Alaric says from behind his desk, looking through a bunch of papers, "What are we learning today?"

With the decade dance tonight, we've been covering the sixties all week." Dana tells him.

"Right. The sixties." He says, seemingly surprised by the information. He looks around, his eyes pausing on Elena as she struggles to get her jacket to hang over her seat next to her. An odd look in his eyes as he stares at her.

He turns around to write on the board, "The sixties…I wish there was something good I could say about the sixties, but actually they kind of sucked. Except for The Beatles, of course. They made it bearable. Uh, what else was there?" He laughs a little, "The Cuban missile thing. The uh – we walked on the moon. There was Watergate."

"Watergate was in the seventies, Ric." Elena smirks at him.

The class turns to her at the use of his first name, "I – I mean, Mr. Saltzman." She sputters out, embarrassed.

Laughing to myself, he turns to look at me, a smirk on his face.

"Right." He smiles at her, "It kind of all mushes together up here, the sixties, seventies. Thank you…Elena."

* * *

"Liv! Wait up!" Elena calls after me.

Pausing in my steps I wait for her to catch up to me, "What's up?"

"Did you notice Ric acting a little strange?" She questions as we walk into the cafeteria together.

"I mean, yeah. I'm chalking it up to Jenna still making him sweat about the state of their relationship though. For the most part it was very awkward Ric." I tell her, spotting Bonnie and Jeremy talking quietly at a table on the other side of the room.

"Yeah, you're probably right." She tells me, "So you coming to the dance tonight? You should."

"Well if you're going, then yeah. You need all the people you can watching out for you. Just keep Damon far, far away from me." I say with a smile.

"You're really gonna just cut him off like that? Friendship over?" She asks disbelievingly.

"Yes." I tell her bluntly, "He snapped my neck, Elena. I was effectively dead for the night because his solution to the problem was to kill me just because he knows I won't permanently die. Which in reality he doesn't know if I will or not, since he doesn't know why I'm like this. Regardless, it is not pleasant to die. It still hurts even though I come back to life."

"I know! What he did was wrong, but I mean – it's Damon." She says, as if that makes it all better.

"It doesn't excuse his behavior Elena. He was supposed to be a friend, someone I should be able to trust. I don't trust him now, he'd clearly hurt me without so much as a second thought." I tell her as we reach the table.

"Hey Jer! How you doing?" I ask him as pull him into a quick side hug.

"Are you okay at the house with John?" Elena asks him.

"It's not like he's alone. He's got me." I tell her, as he stands up.

"Like Liv said, I've got her, so it's not so bad. Look I'm late for class, I gotta go." He says looking at Bonnie before he walks away.

Bonnie rolls her eyes a little as we sit down, "What's going on?" Elena asks her.

"I told him he had to dress up tonight and he got all uptight." She says with a shake of her head.

"True. Jer hates the whole dressing up part." I laugh.

"Hey Elena, there you are. Okay, this is going to sound freaky, but this totally hot guy just asked me to ask you if you're going to the dance tonight." Dana says as she walks over to the table.

"Tell him she has a boyfriend." Bonnie says with her eyebrows drawn together.

"Really though, Dana, who doesn't know Elena has a boyfriend in this school?" I ask her laughing.

"You could at least meet him. He'll be at the dance tonight. Look for him. His names Klaus."

Choking on the bit of juice I managed to swallow I look up at her, "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"His name's Klaus." Dana says confused, "I know the name's stupid, but I swear he's hot."

Looking around trying to spot Nik in the room, I don't see him anywhere. Honestly, this is not the place for this.

"Where is he? Is he here?" Bonnie asks looking around the room too.

"I don't know." Dana answers.

"She's been compelled." I tell them quietly, "She's useless to question about him."

"He wants to know if you'll save him the last dance." Dana says smiling, "How cute is that?"

* * *

Standing in the living room of the boarding house, far away from Damon, I listen to them try and strategize. I could put my two cents in, but really, it doesn't matter anymore. Nik's here, in Mystic Falls. It's much to late now.

"So we go to the dance, we find him." Damon says as if it's the easiest thing in the world to accomplish.

"Really? How are we going to do that?" Stefan asks him cynically, "We don't even know what he looks like."

"Something tells me that he's not gonna be sixteen and pimply." Damon says to him.

Smirking to myself, nope he is definitely not sixteen and pimply. Early twenties and gorgeous to look at it would be a more accurate description, not that I'm going to say that out loud.

"He could be anywhere, at anytime. He compelled somebody at school. Guess it's not as safe as you guys thought, huh?" Stefan asks Elena and Bonnie.

"What would you like them to do Stefan? Be paranoid, looking at everyone as if they're a threat to Elena's life?" I ask him annoyed, "Cause that's a great fucking way to live."

Knocking on the door, Alaric walks in.

"There you are." Damon says to him.

"Sorry I'm late." Alaric says with a small smile.

"Hey, I need you to put me down as a chaperone at the dance tonight. Klaus made his first move." He says, not as annoyed, as he should be by having to go to a high school dance.

"Okay, so we find him, and then what?" Elena asks everyone, "What's our plan of attack?"

"Me." Bonnie says determinedly, "I'm the plan. He has no idea how much power I can channel. If you can find him, I can kill him."

Alaric scoffs a little, "That's not going to be that easy. I mean he is the biggest, baddest vampire around."

"Alaric has a point." Damon says, "I mean what if he –" He cuts off as he runs full vampire speed towards Bonnie. Who easily deflects him back across the room over a table.

Laughing loudly, " _Please_ do that again!"

Stefan turns around, "Well I was impressed."

"It doesn't matter if he's an original. I can take down anyone who comes at me." Bonnie says walking to stand by me, "I can kill him, Elena. I know I can."

Smiling, Elena nods her head at Bonnie.

"Well as long as you guys have this all figured out. I'm gonna head home, find something worthy of the sixties and I'll meet you all there. Hopefully, none of you actually die tonight." I tell them with a roll of my eyes.

"You don't think we can take him on?" Damon scoffs at me.

"I believe in Bonnie, Damon. However, even the best-laid plans have flaws. I think you're all underestimating him. And I'm the only person in this room who won't die because of it, but I'll be damned if I let you take my sister down with you and you're half thought out schemes." I tell him with venom in my voice.

"Liv, I know I can do this." Bonnie pleads with me, "I can kill him. I can save her."

"But at what cost to you, Bon." I tell her sadly, "You don't think I put it together myself? Just – just think about it before you make a big decision. Please."

"I need to do this, I have to, Liv." Bonnie says coming over to hug me, "Please don't be angry."

"I'm not angry at you Bonnie. Concerned for your well-being is more like it, but it's your life, you make the decisions in it." I tell her, glancing at Elena, "I'll see you later."

* * *

"Caroline!" I yell into my phone, "I'm having a fashion crisis for the first time in many moons. I don't know what to wear to this stupid decade dance!"

 _Laughing at me, "The great, always fashionable in your own grunge-punk way, Olivia Gilbert, has no idea what to wear to the decade dance? I find that hard to believe."_

"Oh shut up!" I tell her, putting my phone on speaker as I rummage through my closet, "Just help me."

 _"_ _Okay! Okay!" She says placating me, "What about…Oh! You should totally wear the black shift dress, the one with the large white collar. With those bright red heels that you bought a few weeks back."_

Pulling out the dress that she described, I hold it up in front of my mirror. Perfectly sixties shift dress, simple, short, and perfect for the school dance.

"You are a life saver Care! I forgot I bought this dress." I tell her as I hang it up on the back of the door, "You doing the Jackie O classy look tonight?"

 _"_ _Duh! She's iconic." She tells me matter-of-factly, "I should finish getting ready. I'll see you there!"_

"Bye Care! Thanks again!" I tell her before she hangs up.

Sitting down to put my hair up into a bouffant, I use a little hairspray to keep it there, and curl the ends of my hair a little more to give me some more definition. Keeping my makeup simple, I add a little bit of a pale pink eye shadow to my lids, a little winged liner, and a lot of defining mascara. Coating my lips in a nude pink lipstick, I put on dangling geometric shaped earrings, the biggest ones I've got. A few white bangles, and some of my larger rings to complete the look before putting on my dress and the shoes, looking in the mirror, I look like I just time traveled. Goal accomplished.

Walking into the kitchen I find Jenna at the table, a glass of wine and a textbook in front of her.

Clearing my throat, she looks up, I give a little twirl, "So, how do I look? Sixties enough?"

Smiling at me, "Straight outta the magazine pages. You look incredible!"

"Thanks! Caroline reminded me I had this dress, I don't know why I bought it, but I'm so glad that I did." I told her, walking over to grab my keys off the counter.

"Do me a favor, stay inside tonight okay?" I tell her, "Klaus is in town, and the last thing I want is for you to get dragged into this some more. I'm almost completely positive that he wouldn't really hurt you or anything, but he needs Elena, so all bets are off with that."

"He's here? Of course, no one tells me anything." She mutters, "I'll stay in, lock the doors, do my thesis until my eyes bleed and then watch some sappy romance movie and cry about my pathetic life."

Giving her a quick hug, "Your life isn't pathetic Jenna, everything will work out the way it should in the end. I'll call you if there's anything important to tell you. Try not to drink the _whole_ bottle of wine tonight." I tease her as I walk out the door.

"Have fun! Try and be safe!" She shouts to me from the kitchen.

"It's not me you need to worry about." I whisper to myself as I close the door.


	9. Chapter 9

Spotting Jeremy and Bonnie outside the school I walk over to them, "Hey guys. What's going on?"

"Nothing, Liv." Jeremy says, putting his ring back on his finger.

"You told him then?" I ask Bonnie, turning to look at her.

"No. He figured it out." She says not looking at either of us directly.

"Like I told you earlier, it's your life. You make the decisions in it, Bonnie. Just really think about what you're willing to do." I tell her again.

"Just because a bunch of dead witches gave me a warning, doesn't mean I'm gonna die." She tells us – mainly Jeremy – pleadingly.

"So there's a fifty-fifty shot you wont?" He asks her, "Look, I'm sorry but you know I don't have the best luck in the girlfriend department."

Sighing, Bonnie closes her eyes, "Listen I…I can't explain it. But I can feel them. I'm empowered Jeremy, I can do this. I know I can. I'm strong enough."

Shaking my head at her I take a step back, lying to my brother to try and get him to stop worrying, not the brightest idea she's ever had. She's failing to remember that once Jeremy cares about someone, he has the hardest time letting go.

Watching her pull him into a hug, I notice Damon walk up behind them.

"Damon," Bonnie says pulling away from Jeremy.

"Evenin'." He smirks directly at me as he walks inside the school.

"Do you think anyone would _really_ care if I actually shoved a stake through his heart?" I ask out loud.

"As much as I would pay to see that, we kinda need him alive." Bonnie laughs.

"Hey you guys." Elena says as her and Stefan walk towards us, "You two look nice!"

"You too, sexy hippy?" I ask her as she pulls me into a hug after Bonnie.

"It was either this or Twiggy. Sexy hippy won. You're dress is amazing though." She says looking me up and down in approval.

"You guys ready to do this?" Stefan asks.

"I'm not a part of this. I don't agree with this plan at all, just wanna put that out there." I tell them as we walk inside.

"Thanks for being here everybody!" Dana announces up on the stage, everyone stops dancing to turn, cheer and listen to her. "We have a special shout out tonight. This is for Elena, and Olivia…from Klaus."

I look over at Elena as everyone starts to cheer and clap, "What the hell?"

"That was a lame, cheap shot." Damon says walking around Elena, "And why did he mention your name?"

Ignoring Damon, I look around the room trying to find Nik again.

"I know everyone here." Elena says, looking at me with anxiety in her eyes.

"Maybe he's not here. Just wants us to believe that he is." Stefan comments, his eyes still moving around the room.

"It's a party people. Blend. Let him come to us." Damon says with arrogance.

"Good idea." Bonnie says, pulling Jeremy towards the floor to dance.

"No, no. I really don't feel like dancing." He pleads with her.

"Too bad." She says with a smile.

"There's Ric. I'll be back. You should come with me." Damon says turning to me.

Glaring at him, "Choke on vervain."

Watching him walk away I turn to Elena, "Go. Have fun. I'll find you if anything happens."

* * *

"Did you know?" Elena asks me angry as she pulls me over to her and Bonnie.

Shrugging out of her grip, "Know what?"

"That Bonnie will die if she uses her power to kill Klaus." She says.

"Oh…that. I figured it out by myself actually. All that power, it was bound to have a consequence." I tell her.

"It's our only option." Bonnie says determined.

"Then we'll find another way, okay?" Elena pleads, "Bonnie, you're not dying to save my life."

"I have the power to save you! If I don't use it and something happens, that would kill me more."

"I can't let you." Elena tells her.

"It's not up to you, Elena." I chime in for the first time, "It's only up to Bonnie."

"I can't let her! How can you be okay with this Olivia?" She asks hysterically.

"I'm not, Elena. Frankly, I'm tired of people dying but this decision is not ours to make."

"Just answer one question," Bonnie interjects. "If the situation was reversed, would you do it for me?"

Elena stops, breathing deeply and nods her head a bit.

"So you know why I have to." Bonnie tells her.

Elena shakes her head back and forth slowly, "No. No! I can't"

"You need to stop trying to control everything, Elena." I tell her with a sigh.

"Elena! Olivia!" Alaric shouts as he runs over to us.

"What is it?" She asks him.

"He has Jeremy." He tells us.

"What?" I shout at him. I swear to god I will murder him myself if he hurts my brother.

"Yeah, Klaus has Jeremy. Come on." He tells us, motioning for us to follow him.

Walking through the empty halls, I notice we're getting further and further away from the dance. Stefan and Damon nowhere in sight – no one in sight actually.

"Okay, so where are you taking us?" Elena asks him as we continue behind him.

"Just a little further." He says with annoyance in his voice.

"Wait. Something's not right." Elena mutters, slowing down behind him.

"Where's Jeremy?" Bonnie asks him.

Laughing, Alaric stops walking and turns to face us. "I just had to get away from that dance. The sixties, ugh! Not my decade. I mean whose call was that anyway? Though you, Olivia, have managed to make the fashion a bit more bearable. Still, I much prefer the twenties. The style, the parties, the jazz."

"Alaric." Elena says as he takes a few steps in our direction, "Are you on vervain?"

Pausing in his step, "Now why would you ask me that question, Elena?"

The smirk on his face becoming more prominent as he gets closer to our direction, "Holy shit." I whisper to myself, causing him to look directly at me.

"He's been compelled." Elena tells Bonnie.

"Nope. Try again." He tells her, "Better yet, why not ask the lovely Olivia for the answer she so brilliantly worked out."

"It's Klaus." I tell them, grabbing Elena and pulling her behind me a bit.

"Surprise!" He says with a smile.

"No. No it's not possible." Elena mutters to herself in disbelief.

"No, it's very possible. I told you that you all underestimated him!" I shout at her in annoyance.

Of course he would show up in a different body. I swear he's more dramatic than a woman.

"Oh don't worry, you're not on my hit list…tonight." He tells her, turning to Bonnie, "But you are." He lunges for Bonnie and she deflects him effortlessly.

"Bonnie! He'll just use a different body! You can't kill Alaric." I yell at her as she throws him back into the trophy case.

"Olivia's right, what makes you think I won't choose Jeremy next?" He taunts her.

"Run! Run, run!" Bonnie shouts, grabbing Elena's hand and taking off the other way.

Pausing slightly to turn back to him, "I'd tell you not to kill her, but you won't listen."

"I am sorry this will hurt you." He tells me as he walks the other way, leaving me alone in the hall.

* * *

" _Where did you go? You missed everything! Bonnie died, but not really. She used some spell to keep herself alive, Klaus thinks she's dead though. She said you weren't there when she got back and no one has seen you since then. Look, I…I'm taking the dagger out of Elijah and I need your help. He trusts you. Hell he likes you, please just call me back."_

Sighing I sit back down on my bed, listening to Elena's voicemail again. I went home after that. There was no point in sticking around while my friend went on a suicide mission to save my sisters life. The same sister who daggered an original, and now has decided to take the dagger out and beg for help. If they had listened to me in the first place then they wouldn't be in this mess.

Throwing my hair up into a messy bun, I pull on some dark wash skinny jeans, my worn _New York_ hoodie, and my converse. Picking my phone up just as it rings, I answer it without looking.

"Yeah?"

" _Is that anyway to talk to a man who has been daggered for days?"_ I hear Elijah's voice on the other end.

"Elijah!" I shout happily, "Where are you? I'll meet you there now."

" _The Lockwood estate. Your sister is with me, do hurry."_ The line clicks.

Rolling my eyes, I grab my wallet, keys and coffee and run out of the house.

Not bothering to knock on the door I let myself inside, throwing myself into Elijah's arms once I see him. "Thank god!"

"I take it I was missed?" He asks me with a small smile.

"I tried to take the dagger out. Damon snapped my neck for it." I tell him, "Feel free to repay the favor."

"We can continue that conversation when we're alone. Right now your sister is looking at us and she may faint." He says glancing over at Elena.

"I didn't think you two were that close." She manages to get out without stuttering.

"I do have other friends. Plus…Elijah, well there's more than meets the eye remember?"

"So I assume that the Martin witches are no longer with us." Elijah states, sitting down next to me.

"No." Elena says, "I'm sorry."

"And Katerina. She would have been released from my compulsion when I died." He says, looking directly at Elena.

"Klaus took her." She tells him, "We think that she may be dead."

"I doubt that." He smirks at her, "Not Klaus' style. Death would be too easy for her after what she did."

"I don't understand. You say that you want Klaus dead, but you still made Katherine pay for betraying him." Elena says looking at Elijah in confusion.

"I have my own reasons for wanting Katerina to pay." He tells her, his eyes growing darker, "There was a time I'd have done anything for Klaus." He goes into a tale of his life before all the animosity between them occurred.

"Yes. Klaus is my brother." He tells her after he finishes his small story from the past.

"I heard that." Elena stumbles, "I'm still processing."

"Yes, I'm a little behind on the times but I believe the term you're searching for is, 'O.M.G.'" He scoffs as he takes a sip of his tea.

Laughing to myself, "Please never, ever say that again Elijah."

"Wait…there's a whole family of originals?" Elena asks astonished.

"My father was a wealthy land owner in a village in Eastern Europe. Our mother bore seven children." He tells her as he fixed his tie in the mirror.

Elena stands up, "So your parents were human?"

"Our whole family was." He says plainly.

"Honestly Elena, did you really think they were born vampires?" I ask her incredulously.

"Our origin as vampires is a very long story, Elena." He tells her, "Just know, we're the oldest vampires in the world. We are the original family, and from us all vampires were created."

"Right. But Klaus is your brother. And you want him dead?" She asks disbelief clear in her voice.

"I need some air." He says with a shake of his head, "I'm still feeling a tad…dead. Come."

Following him quickly, I latch my arm around his and lean in. "I need to talk to you about your family when she leaves. It's important."

Glancing down at me, he nods his head in acknowledgment.

"So as you've seen, nothing can kill an original." Elijah begins as we make our way across the lawn, "Not sun, not fire, and not even a werewolf bite. Only the wood from one tree; a tree my family made sure burned."

"That's where the white ash for the dagger comes from." Elena says, putting it together slowly.

"Yes. The witches won't allow anything truly immortal to walk the earth. Every creature needs to have a weakness in order to maintain a balance."

"So if the sun can't kill an original, why is Klaus so obsessed with breaking the sun and the moon curse?" She asks him.

"Right." Elijah scoffs, "The curse of the sun and the moon. It's all so…biblical sounding, don't you think?"

"What's so funny?" She asks him with a shrug of her shoulders.

"The curse isn't real, Elena. It's fake." I tell her rolling my eyes, "Klaus drew the Aztec drawings. They created the entire legend."

"Roman scrolls, African tribal etchings and any other culture or continent we felt like planting it in." Elijah tells her.

"But why?" She asks him.

"Easiest way to discover the existence of a doppelgänger or to get your hands on some long, lost moon stone is to have every single member of two warring species on the lookout for it." Elijah tells her with a smirk.

"If it's not real…I don't understand." Elena says.

"Klaus and I faked the sun and the moon curse dating back over a thousand years." He tells her.

"But if there's no curse…" She says confused.

"There's a curse. Just not that one." Elijah cuts in, "The real one's much worse. It's a curse placed solely on Klaus."

"What are you talking about?" Elena asks, shrugging her arms out by her side.

"Klaus has been trying to break it for the last thousand years, and you were his only hope." He tells her, turning to face her abruptly.

"Well what is _this_ curse?" She asks him.

Sighing, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out her phone. "Your phone will not stop its incessant buzzing. Answer it, please."

Sighing she takes the phone, "Stefan – what's wrong? No. No, Okay…I'll be right there. No Olivia's with me, I'll tell her."

Looking at me, "Klaus went after Jenna. We have to go to her."

"I'm afraid that wasn't part of today's arrangement." Elijah informs her.

"She's my family, Elijah. I have to." Elena pleads with him.

"Just go Elena. I'll stay with Elijah. We have some things to discuss between us as it is. Tell Jenna that she's going to be fine, and not to worry so much. She's most likely just in a shock, you need to remember she's not as fragile as you all want her to be." I tell her, pushing her back towards the house.

"I'll be back. You have my word." She calls over her shoulder as she turns and leaves.

"Can we go back inside and sit down?" I ask him, suddenly finding myself incredibly anxious to bring everything with Nik up to him.

"Of course." He says, leading me back into the house.

"You're worried I'll be angry." He says to me as we sit down, "What could you possibly have done since I've been daggered?"

Laughing a little, "You'd be surprised what I can get myself into. But no, I didn't really _do_ anything. I just sort of, had a conversation with Nik…uh Klaus."

"Nik?" He asks raising his brow in confusion. "When did this occur?"

"It happened when I went to New York to visit my friend Chris. I was wandering around this cute little bookshop – that's not important. What is important is that I know where your family is." I tell him.

Looking at me, I can see the war going on inside of him, one part of him holding onto the hope that they aren't buried at sea and the other part not wanting to believe it.

"That's…not possible."

"I saw them. I touched Kol's coffin! I could _feel_ him, Elijah!" I exclaim. "He never buried them at sea. He just keeps them hidden."

"Hidden from what? Why would he lie to me?" He asks me.

"I don't know why he said it to you, that's something you'll have to ask him. I do know that he won't hurt me. He – Nik feels the same way for me that you do. He knew who I was the moment he saw me, rather before that. He seemed to know more about me than I thought he would to be honest. I want to help him. I want to help him break his curse, get your family back and keep my sister alive through it all…but I need you to help me with it." I plead with him.

"Why should I help him? After everything that he has done." He asks scathingly, his anger directed at me but not meant for me.

"Because it's the only way to get your family back Elijah." I tell him, looking directly into his eyes. "The only way _I'm_ going to get Kol."

We sit in silence for a few minutes. Neither of us making a sound, I'm patiently waiting for him to agree with me. I love my family, but I can't spend eternity alone. I wont spend it without Kol and if this is how I can get him, so be it. As long as Elijah helps me keep Elena alive through the sacrifice, then Nik can break his curse and this can be one step closer to getting Kol and the rest of the Original family back to the land of the living.

"I will help you." He tells me quietly, "Only because I know how badly it is to spend time wishing you could have the one thing you cannot. If you tell me that my family is safe, I'll help you. Just tell me what you need from me."

Throwing my arms around him, I hug him to me, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I'm being incredibly selfish in this, but I don't give a damn."

"In the prospect of love, everyone is selfish Olivia." He laughs, "Do you have a plan?"

Smirking at him, "Of course I have a plan."

* * *

Hearing the door open we both look to see Elena walk through, determination clear on her face.

"Welcome back." Elijah says to her.

"Tell me." She demands, "What is Klaus' curse?"

"Please." He gestures for her to sit, "My family was quite close, but Klaus and my father did not get on too well. When we became vampires, we discovered the truth. Klaus was not my father's son. My mother had been unfaithful many years before. This was her darkest secret. Klaus is from a different bloodline. Of course, when my father discovered this, he hunted down and he killed my mother's lover and his entire family. Not realizing of course, that he was igniting a war between species that rages until this day."

"A war between the species?" Elena asks confused.

"The vampires…" Elijah begins.

"And the werewolves." I finish for him, speaking for the first time since Elena walked back into the house.

"So Klaus' real father was from a werewolf bloodline?" She asks him, "What does that make Klaus? A werewolf? Or a vampire?"

"He's both." He tells her. "A hybrid would be deadlier than any werewolf or vampire. Nature would not stand for such an imbalance of power. Therefor the witches, the servants of nature, saw to it that my brother's werewolf side would become dormant."

"That's the curse that Klaus wants to break?" Elena asks sitting forward in her seat.

"He wants to trigger that part of him that's a werewolf. If allowed, Klaus would sire his own bloodline. He'd build his own race. Endangering not just vampires, but everyone." He says solemnly.

"But you helped him." She says shocked.

"I helped him because I loved him. That's changed, now he must die." He tells her.

I watch as Elena gets up, looking over at Elijah I wonder how long it took him to become such an amazing liar.

"We have the dagger now. We can stop him." She says with a determined smile.

"When a werewolf is wounded by silver, it heals. An original can't be killed by anything but white oak ash on a silver dagger. So you see the conundrum. The dagger does not work." He tells her with an irritated sigh.

"What are you saying? That Klaus can't be killed?" She asks him as she paces around the room.

"There's one way to kill any supernatural species, at the hands of the servants of nature themselves."

"A witch." Elena breathes out, "If they can channel that much power…but it would kill them."

"The curse must be broken during the full moon, Elena." I chime in, " When Klaus is in transition, that's when he'll be at his most vulnerable. A witch with enough power can kill him then."

"I thought you were against this? Against Bonnie dying." She asks me.

"That was before Elijah and I had our conversation after you left. We figured quite a few things out while you were gone." I tell her with a shrug.

"And if Bonnie can channel that much power, and not die…we can kill him?" She asks him.

"There's one more thing you should know." Elijah tells her, "I found a way to keep the doppelgänger alive. Unfortunately, Katerina took matters into her own hands before I could tell her. I believe you already know how that played out."

"You cared about her, didn't you?" She asks him as he watches him hand me my jacket and help me up from the couch.

"It's a common mistake, I'm told." He says looking at her, "And it's one I won't make again."

"We should go tell your lovely Salvatore boys about the change in plan, don't you think?" I say with a smile on my face as I follow Elijah out of the house.

* * *

Walking into the house, the first thing we hear is the growls and grunts coming from the parlor…followed by a loud crash.

"Hmm, think they're fighting again?" I ask sarcastically.

"Stop!" Elena yells as we enter the room. Amazingly, they both listen.

"Now you've invited him in?" Damon asks annoyed.

"Elijah and I have renewed the terms of our deal." She tells them.

"Really?" He mutters sarcastically.

"The two of you will come to no harm at my hands." He tells them, walking up to the railing, "I only ask for one thing in return. An apology."

"A what?" Damon taunts, squinting his eyes as if he didn't hear it right.

"Jesus Damon! An apology, I know you're incapable of remorse, but it's the least you could do." I growl at him, coming to stand next to Elijah.

Sighing, Stefan steps up, "I'm sorry for the part that I played in your death. I was protecting Elena. I will always protect Elena."

"I understand." Elijah tells him.

All of us turning to look towards Damon, already knowing there is no way he will apologize for what he did to Elijah.

"The sacrifice is going to happen Damon." I tell him, "We figured out a way to have Bonnie kill Klaus without hurting herself, and I told you right after you daggered him, that Elijah knows how to keep Elena alive."

"I told you I'd find another way." Elena tells him, proud of herself.

"Is that true?" Damon asks Elijah.

"It is."

"And you're trusting him?" He asks us incredulously.

"I am." Elena tells him, "Olivia trusts him, that's more than enough for me."

"You can all go to hell." Damon glares as he walks out of the room.

Waiting until he was fully up the stairs, "Well that went much better than I expected it to."

"Not the time, Olivia." Elena says.

"Always the time. He killed me, remember?" I tell her with a glare, "Anyway, Elijah and I have some errands to run. We'll meet you all here tomorrow to go over the plan with everyone."

* * *

 ** _I apologize for the slight delay in the update this week. I tried to post this Sunday but it just wouldn't upload correctly. I finally managed to upload it tonight._**


	10. Chapter 10

"Jenna!" I call through the house.

"Kitchen! With coffee!" She shouts back at me.

"Wanna take a drive with me?" I ask her, nodding my head slightly in Elena and Stefan's direction.

"Sure. Let me grab my purse." She says walking out of the room.

"I thought we were meeting with everyone later to discuss our new plan." Elena remarks.

"We are. It's nine in the damn morning. I have hours before we meet with everyone. I need to talk to Jenna about a few things before that happens." I tell her, pouring a bit more coffee into the travel mug.

"And you can't do that here?" She pries.

Turning to glare at her, "No, Elena. I have the ability to talk to her wherever I would like to. The fact is I don't have any desire to talk about it in this house. Not where the walls have ears thanks to the vampire boyfriend you have and his jackass of a brother who loves to show up uninvited."

"But if it's about all of this then why not have the conversation where we can all contribute to it." She tells me looking smug.

Scoffing, "Because it's not about that at all. It's about me. I told Jenna that I would explain more about it when I got back from the city and I haven't had the chance up until now."

"When are you planning on telling us that anyway?" She inquires, "I mean it's been forever. I think we need to know."

"I'll tell you when you realize that it's not about you and what you think." I tell them simply. "Plus, I don't want to tell you when I know you'll just flip out."

"Why would we flip out?" Stefan asks.

"It's not an answer that you're going to like. I need to discuss it with Jenna first." I tell them, "After the sacrifice then I'll tell everyone…if it goes according to plan anyway. Jenna gets to know now because she's the only one out of all of you who seemed to care about it."

"We care! I care!" Elena shouts.

"Funny way of showing it, Elena!" I yell back at her. "For months everything has been about you, you, you! Every single one of you has had the opportunity to ask me or help me figure it out. You never did."

"Claws away. I'm ready, lets go." Jenna says once she enters the room again. "Where are we going?"

"I'll tell you in the car." I say handing her a travel mug filled with coffee and ushering her out of the house, "Away from prying vampire ears." I add under my breath.

* * *

Pulling into the driveway of one of the homes that Elijah owns, I look over and see the amazed look on Jenna's face.

It is a rather impressive house.

"Jesus." She breathes, "Who owns this?"

"Elijah."

"Elijah? As in the original that was daggered?" She asks me confused.

"The very same. He's inside somewhere with his brother but this is the safest place we can be." I tell her as I open the front door and lead her into the living room.

"I'm confused…again." She says plainly, sitting down.

"You can trust Elijah. He's – well he's important to me. Damon and Stefan, no matter how good their intentions are, are so far out of their league. They're going to wind up getting everyone killed without his help. I know much more about all of this than they do. Everything I'm about to tell you needs to stay completely between us." I explain to her, my nerves slowly rising.

"I promise I won't say a word." She tells me sincerely. "I love Elena and Jeremy but you're the only one who knows that I can handle this. The only one who seems to respect me enough to let me make my own decisions regarding the supernatural."

"You took on the role of guardian to three angst ridden teenagers that just lost their parents – your sister. Even though you have your own life and were terrified of fucking it all up. If that isn't a testament to your strength then I don't know what is." I say with a smile.

"You're going to make me emotional, Liv." She teases me, "No one ever really acknowledges that. I always feel like I'm failing you guys. That your mom would have done a much better job than I ever could."

"Regardless, if mom was here all of this would still be happening. For me…well I'm meant for the supernatural world, destiny and all that shit. Elena, she's the doppelgänger. Her fate was sealed a thousand years ago. This was always bound to happen." I tell her, "It was only a matter of time. If it wasn't for me and Elijah, then she wouldn't survive this at all."

"She's going to survive? I won't have to bury my niece right?" She asks me concerned.

"She'll live. Elijah and I came up with a solution to the sacrifice – well the Elena dying part." I tell her, "I need to have him come down here and double check that you're still chock full of vervain. It's really to make sure that Elena hasn't switched any of the products you use out for ones without vervain…I don't trust that she wouldn't have Damon compel you to forget."

"And you trust Elijah?" She asks skeptically.

"With my life."

"Alright. Get him then." She agrees.

"Lijah! Leave Nik alone for a minute and come here please." I shout.

"You rang?" He mocks, literally a few seconds later.

"Hush, Elijah." I scold, "You're gonna give Jenna a heart attack if you appear like that more. Now please try and compel her. I need to make sure that she's still got vervain in everything."

"Anything specific you would like me to compel her to do?" He asks, looking over at me with an amused smirk.

"You could compel her to do the Macarena in her underwear for all I care, Elijah." I laugh, "As long as it doesn't work then I can tell her everything I brought her here to know."

"Really, Liv?" Jenna asks not amused by my suggestion.

Turning to look Jenna in the eye, "Tell me your darkest, most horrific secret." Elijah compels.

Simple. Not as funny as what I wanted though. Very Elijah.

"No way." Jenna laughs.

"She's on vervain. It's safe to tell her anything you choose. Now I should get back to my brother, he's not meant to be alone this long." He tells us as he ascends back up the stairs.

"If you feel the need to yell, please just wait until I'm done explaining everything." I tell her, the anxiety I'm feeling finally making its presence known in my voice.

"I promise I won't yell at you until you're finished. If I interrupt it's only to ask a question." She swears, grabbing my hand. "I trust your judgment even if no one else does."

"The reason that I can't die is because I'm immortal. I'm…well I'll be stuck at the age of nineteen until I become a vampire." I begin.

"Wait… _until_ you become a vampire? Why do you need to become one?" Jenna interrupts confused.

"Didn't take long to interrupt me." I laugh, "I have to become a vampire because the man that I'm destined to be with – the whole reason that I'm immortal – is a vampire. An original vampire to be precise, he's Elijah and Nik's younger brother."

"Who the hell is Nik?" She asks me.

"Nik is Klaus." I say simply, "Just…let me get this out. I came up with a plan, a brilliant plan I might add. It ensures that Elena survives and Nik still gets what he wants. No one is going to die. Well no one we care about anyway. I don't know how to explain the connection to Kol…it's magic. I can feel him, only not. He's in my dreams, but I don't ever get to see his face. I've been close to him in New York. I got to see the coffin that he's in. I refused to open it. Nik has done terribly awful things, I'm not going to sit here and sing him praises. All of them have done awful things, but Nik isn't a terrible person. He's ill tempered, bossy, prideful, impatient, and has zero tolerance for betrayal but he's not a downright bad person.

"I want Kol. Plain and simple, I need him in my life. They only way to achieve that, is to help Nik. Elijah and I came to an excellent agreement on it. He's upstairs nailing down the final details with Nik."

"He's in the house? Right now?" She says, her eyes glancing towards the ceiling. "Can they hear us?"

"Yes. He's probably rolling his eyes and muttering to himself about me calling him all those things." I laugh, "But he won't hurt you. It'll only hurt me if he does and he cares for me. I'm like another sister to him."

"Right. Okay. So you're immortal. You're vampire boyfriend is in a coffin. Elijah is upstairs with Klaus who as far as anyone else knows you don't know…and there's more that you need to tell me." She mutters to herself. "I would ask why we can't all be normal, but apparently no one in Mystic Falls will ever get normal."

"I know it's a lot and I'm sorry that it's all falling on you." I sigh.

"I can handle this, Olivia. I worry about how all of you are handling this though. I mean you're all in high school. You have your entire lives ahead of you and you're dealing with more death than any of you should have to." She tells me, grabbing my hand, "I don't ever tell you this enough, but I'm _so_ proud of you. You're maturing, growing up. You have a life outside of all this drama, you've accomplished so much."

Smiling, "Thank you. I just…they're going to hate me for this."

"They'll get over it." Jenna shrugs. "In time they'll forgive you and see that every decision you've made has been for the better."

"I don't know. I mean the plan is foolproof. Elena _will_ survive. I just know that once they find out that I've known Nik since New York, once they find out about Kol…they'll hate me. I can deal with Damon, I can deal with Stefan, and hell I can deal with Bonnie hating me. But Elena and Jeremy I can't deal with them hating me." I sigh in frustration.

"Elena will realize that everything you're doing is to help her. To help make sure that everyone that you guys care about is safe and alive. To make sure that everyone is happy. I'm glad you're doing all of this." Jenna smiles at me.

"It's selfish really. I'm doing all this because ultimately I need Kol. Of course I don't want Elena dead, but there is no way to have Kol without Nik being alive." I tell her.

"It's perfectly alright to be selfish about this. This is the man that you're destined for. This is what every girl dreams of. Having that perfect man for you regardless of how you get him. Be selfish about it and forget what everyone else thinks." Jenna tells me sternly.

"As long as you don't hate me for any of this." I say timidly.

"I could never hate you, Olivia." She tells me, hugging me. "Now, tell me the rest of this."

"I need you to stay away from Damon. He snapped my neck because I tried to take the dagger out of Elijah." I tell her.

"…He snapped your neck?" She asks me incredulously. "Who the fucking hell does he think he is? He's lucky I don't find a way to snap his neck!"

Laughing hard at that, "Now that I would pay to see happen. I did threaten to kill him permanently if he ever did it again. I don't have an ounce of trust in him anymore."

"Can I ask do you even want to become a vampire?"

"I want eternity with Kol. Granted I could have that without becoming a vampire, but there's something about it. Knowing that it'll be Kol's blood that turns me, that as long as he lives I wont ever die. I'll become essentially another original vampire. That kind of power, that kind of immortality…as bad as it sounds, is something I've always wanted." I confess.

"I just want you happy. If this will make you happy, I will always be here for you." She smiles at me.

"Who knows, maybe you'll meet your perfect match in a vampire one day to." I joke with her.

"After all this, I might be taking a guy hiatus." She laughs, "I'm not sure what to do with Ric. I mean he lied to me about so much. How can I just let that go?"

"He loves you. I'm not saying forgive him, but he listened to Elena. He put her first and that never should have been the case. I like Ric, he's a decent guy but I also think you could do better. Someone who would give you the world, who will let you determine what you can and can not handle." I tell her, "I want you to be happy too, Jenna. If Ric makes you happy, I'll support it. If he doesn't, I'll play matchmaker."

Laughing at me, "And just who would you set me up with?"

"Elijah." I smirk at her.

* * *

 **Elijah's POV**

"Hear that brother, our little Olivia wants to set you up with her Aunt." Klaus smirks over at me.

Shaking my head, "Enough. Are we clear on our agreement?"

"Yes. The doppelgänger can live. I go through my transition. You're reunited with the family." He exhales dramatically, "I do listen when spoken to."

"I find that hard to believe," I scoff. "Though Olivia does have a way with you. You understand that if you hurt her in any way, Kol will do everything in his power to hurt you twice as much."

"Olivia has nothing to fear from me. I quite enjoy her." He tells me. "I have the feeling that she'll be ruthless when she's a vampire. Of course, she'll balance Kol out, but he'll bring out the darkness in her. I'm looking forward to it."

The look on his face forces me to believe his words. She can see past his mask, understand what he truly wants from this life. Her words to her Aunt proved it only moments ago. She's vindictive, a tad selfish but overall she is truly a remarkable young woman.

"I admit, I was thoroughly perturbed when she told me about how you two met. That she seemed to trust you not to harm her." I tell Klaus. "Hearing that you want to see her be a ruthless vampire like the rest of us have done in disconcerting."

"As much as you don't trust me, I know what she means to this family. Family has always been important to me, Elijah. You may not agree with the method I've chosen to keep them all safe, but nevertheless they are safe." He tells me.

"I'm trusting you, Niklaus. Do not make me regret that decision. Not even Olivia will be able to help you if you do." I threaten.

"I understand that perfectly, brother." He says looking me in the eye.

She may have too much faith in him. For her sake, I'm choosing to look past all of his shortcomings. He's stabbed each and every one of us in the back more than once, I have no doubt he'll do it again.

* * *

 **Olivia's POV**

"Elijah and I need to get to the boarding house soon. Tell everyone the plan and hope to all hell that Damon doesn't do anything stupid." I tell Jenna, "Would you like to meet Nik?"

"I guess I should, shouldn't I." She sighs.

"Don't worry. Around me, he's harmless." I smile, "Elijah! Nik! Come down here now!"

"You're awfully demanding, love." I hear Nik's voice behind me.

"And you're going to tell me you're not just as demanding?" I scoff at him. "Nik, this is my Aunt Jenna. Jenna this is Nik. Though you should probably call him Klaus."

"Pleasure to meet you." He smirks, taking her hand.

"I wish I could say the same." She tells him taking her hand back, "I trust that you'll honor your deal with Olivia?"

"On my life. Olivia is family to me. She came up with a solution that lets everyone win." He appeases her.

"We'll see." Jenna says skeptically.

"We should be going. I have no doubt that the Salvatore's are growing impatient." Elijah comments.

"Right. I tried to call Caroline but she won't answer her phone. I want her to know what's going on for once since no one ever tells her anything until after the fact." I sigh, pulling my phone out to see if she's answered any of my texts yet.

"Ah…that would be my fault love." Klaus confesses to me.

Glaring at him, "What did you do, Niklaus?"

"Her and the wolf boy – Tyler – are a little distraction. I swear to you they're not the ones I intend to use in the sacrifice. I don't trust that your friends won't do anything stupid. I need them sufficiently distracted, I figured using them would work." He shrugs.

"If anything happens to either of them, I promise I will make your life miserable until I deem enough." I threaten him.

"Understood, love." He smirks at me, "Now you two should run along. You'll let me know when I can release Alaric from his apartment, and pass on my message?"

"You'll get a text when it's time, Nik."

* * *

Standing in the Salvatore's living room, I'm only vaguely aware of Damon storming out of the room. Once again not agreeing with our plan. Pulling my phone out, I scroll to Nik's name and send him the text.

 ** _Send Alaric. I'm ready for this bullshit to be over._**

"He's being an insufferable douchebag." I mutter to Elijah.

"That seems to be an understatement." Elijah says to me, "Damon seems to believe that he knows what is best for your sister."

"Damon wouldn't know what's best for Elena if it was staring him in the face. He's too selfish." I tell him.

"Olivia." Elena scolds me, "He's just worried. You don't have to be so against him all the time."

Laughing bitterly, "He broke my neck. He's tried to compel me more than once. I'll be bitter until the day I die about that."

"You can't die." She says blankly.

"Exactly."

"You know you love me." Damon smirks as he walks back into the room.

"I'd love to shove a sharp object into your heart." I tell him cheerfully.

"Now, this elixir, you know there is a possibility it will not work." Elijah tells Elena, "I don't want to mislead you."

"I know the chance I'm taking." She tells him firmly.

"Wait a minute. You know it might not work and you're still going to try?" Damon asks incredulously. Turning to me, "You're going to let your twin sister take that chance? You're fine with that?"

"Elena was told every possibility. It is Elena's life. It's her choice. I helped her find another option that doesn't involve our friend dying." I glare at him.

"So this is why no one is answering their phones." Alaric says as he walks into the room.

Stefan immediately moves to in front of Elena, while Damon shoves him against the wall.

"It's me! Damon, it's me." Alaric pleads, "He let me go. Klaus let me go."

"Prove it." Damon demands.

"Uh, okay. Olivia, the first night I stayed over I caught you sneaking in through the back door while I was in kitchen getting the choco-"

"Yeah, it's him." I say with a laugh, "Not everyone needs to know what you were grabbing from the fridge, Ric."

"Why did he let you go?" Stefan asks him.

"He wanted me to deliver a message." He looks at Elena, "The sacrifice happens tonight."

* * *

 ** _I try to update every Sunday. It may be a day or two late depending on my work schedule. I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter._**

 ** _Also, thank you for the reviews I appreciate every single one of them. That said –_**

 ** _Silverlined Phoenix – I am unsure if I will be carrying this story over to the Originals or not. I'm not quite there yet in writing that far into this story._**

 ** _Lady El Bass – I do plan on having a few more dreams with Kol, I'm not sure how many more there will be though._**


	11. Chapter 11

"Of all the selfish, arrogant, greedy things you've ever fucking done, this by far is the worst! What the hell were you thinking Damon? We had a foolproof fucking plan!" I screamed furiously.

"We all know that elixir wouldn't have worked anyway! I did what I needed to do to keep Elena alive!" He shouts back.

"She'll never forgive you. She never wanted this, Damon. She would have already brought it up if she had. Eternity is a rather long time to have someone you care for never forgive you." I glare, "But then, I suppose you know all about that. For someone who was hell bent on making his brothers life hell when he took away your choice, you had no problem taking away hers."

"It's not the same." He bit out.

"You're right, it's not the same." I look him in the eye, "It's worse."

Without so much as another word, he turns on his heel and stalks out of the house. The front door slamming shut in his aggravation.

"You did all that you could." Elijah says softly, placing the elixir back into the ornate box.

"We have all day. Hopefully I can figure something out by the time of the sacrifice." I sigh. "I already have Bonnie searching her grimoire's for a way to reverse it, or at least stop it."

"Do you have faith that she can?" He asks me, handing me a glass of bourbon.

"Nope." I scoff as I take a sip. "There's one more person I can call. One person who owes us more than he can ever repay."

"Who might that be?" Stefan asks me from the doorway, making me jump slightly.

Turning to look at him, Elena curled into his side. The look of agony in her eyes…I may be selfish, cold hearted at time, but she's my sister and she doesn't deserve not to choose her own fate.

"John."

* * *

 _"_ _I wasn't expecting you to call, love." Nik's voice floats to me ears._

"I need you to go to The Grill and pay a visit to Damon and Alaric." I say annoyed.

 _"_ _By your tone I take it the plan didn't go accordingly." He chuckles lowly, "No matter. I'll pay him a visit. From all you've told me about him I have little doubt that he'll go and_ rescue _your little friends."_

"Don't be smug Niklaus, just get it done. I have too much to deal with right now." I hang up.

Tossing my phone onto the couch, I fall face first into it. This wasn't meant to be as hard as it has become. I worked everything out perfectly, made sure every detail was taken care of. But Damon just had to go and fuck everything all up. He's like a spoiled petulant child.

"I have to go grab a few of the Gilbert journals from the house. John's going to be bringing a bunch with him but if anything can help us; it's the Gilbert journals. He documented everything that every happened to him." I tell Elijah as I grab my bag, "I'll meet you over at the witch house later tonight. I'll probably spend most of the night with Jenna though. I have no need to be present for the sacrifice."

"A wise decision. I have more faith in _you_ finding a way out of Elena becoming a vampire than anyone else I have met." Elijah smiles fondly, "You're more selfish about it…I've always felt that makes the best minds. You aren't afraid to go great lengths to get what you want."

Laughing, "I've always found a way to get what I want. It's sounds childish and bitchy but it's true. I just go about it in a way that doesn't make me seem as selfish as I really can be. I don't want Elena to die, I also don't want Elena to be a vampire, therefore I'm the best bet to make sure neither of those scenarios happen."

Pulling me into a firm hug, "Good luck."

* * *

"Fucking finally John!" I exclaim, "I mean really, how long does it take to grab some journals and get here?"

"I've missed you as well, Olivia." He smiles.

"Just start reading what you've brought. I brought all the ones from the house." I glare at him.

"We don't need to. I already know something that can save her." John says.

"And you couldn't have called and told me that so we didn't waste our time reading through all of these?" I ask waving my hands around at the books around the room.

"Jonathon journaled the story of a mother who called on Emily's services. The woman's baby was sick. Dying. Emily cast a spell that would bind the woman's life force with her child." John starts.

"Skip to the save Elena part." Damon grits.

"Maybe if you let him continue talking, he would be there." I mutter.

"Well, the child died, but the mother's life force flowed through her, restoring her to life." He finishes, a small smirk on his face.

"We already know Elena's going to come back to life, but she'll be a vampire." Jeremy says confused.

"Not if her soul remains intact." John tells us.

"Her soul, really? You're going to put your faith in some act of god mumbo jumbo?" Damon asks irritated.

"I'd rather put my faith in Bonnie performing that spell on John, than on her becoming a vampire. Elena doesn't want that. Maybe she will in the future, but right now she wants to grow, have kids and do things on her terms. Not yours Damon." I sigh.

Watching Bonnie perform the spell, muttering in Latin, I can't help but want to scream. This was never supposed to happen. It wasn't supposed to come down to my sister becoming a vampire or magic spells. It was all taken care of, and now…now I almost feel guilty for the way things are going. Almost.

Snapping his fingers, "Come on Bonnie we got a hybrid to kill."

Glaring at Damon, "Will you shut the hell up? You can't rush her when this is the only way that Elena will stay human after all this bullshit is over. Stop being so damn impatient."

"I liked it better when you were ignoring me. I don't like all the attitude." Damon smirks at me.

"It's done." Bonnie says cutting off the argument that would have occurred.

"Good. Let's go." He says walking out.

"I'll be back soon." Bonnie tells Jeremy walking towards him.

"Wait, what do you mean?" He pauses, looking at her and Damon, "No. I'm coming I need to be there. I need to make sure you guys are okay."

"And who's gonna make sure you're okay?" Bonnie counters.

"I've got my ring." He holds his hand up, "Look I'm not taking no for an answer."

Rolling my eyes, trust my baby brother to want to play knight in shining armor right this second when he's much better off just staying here with us.

"Whoa, easy, easy." John says catching Jeremy after Bonnie kisses him, making him sleep. "Just go. We'll stay with him."

"Nope, just you John. I've got to get home and stay with Jenna in a few minutes." I tell them.

Waiting for them to all leave the house, I grab my bag and walk over to John. "Did you read all of this?" I say handing him the journal.

"I did." He tells me, looking me in the eye.

"So you…you understand what happened to the mother…after the baby was brought back to life." I say despondently.

"She saved her daughter. She found peace." He tells me, his eyes growing glassy.

"John…I…it wasn't supposed to come to this." I hug him willingly for the first time, "I'm sorry…thank you."

Tightening his arms around me, "I know I wasn't the best uncle to you. The best father…but your father, my brother was a much better man than I could ever be. I know that you're keeping secrets from them, I can tell because that's what I've done my whole life. I won't bother asking what they are; just promise me that you will live your life. Live it to the fullest it can be, travel the world like you've always wanted to. Never give up on yourself, and never sacrifice what is most important to you. I want you to know that I'm _so proud_ of you and everything that you've accomplished in your life…I love you, Olivia. I always have."

Smiling through the little tears I shed, "I promise…I love you too, John."

Smiling at me, "Go. Go home and be with Jenna, she's going to need you now more than I do. I'll take care of Jeremy, plus Alaric is here too."

"Goodbye, John."

* * *

 _ **I am so happy that you all enjoy this story, I appreciate every single review, follow and favorite that you guys give me. I know this was short, the shortest I've written actually, but it needed to be short and sweet. The next chapter is longer, I promise. I know all of you can not wait for Kol, however there will be a few more chapters before he enters the picture. This story is a bit slow moving - which is not where I thought it would be, but I've grown so fond of the way it's gone. Half the time I've had a chapter in my mind only to start writing it and completely change it as I go.**_


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** I apologize for missing last weeks update. I was editing this chapter last weekend and as I read it over, I hated it. It wasn't anything I wanted for the story, so I proceeded to delete the entire chapter and start a new one. It took me a few days to gather my thoughts and ideas for it. I know I promised that it would be longer, the original was but this isn't too much longer than the last chapter. I will attempt to update as promised every Sunday, unfortunately sometimes when you edit a chapter you've previously written you hate everything about it. I don't believe it will happen often, but I want to thank everyone who has subscribed and reviewed my story regardless of the lack of update. I really appreciate that you all enjoy my story. I hope that you enjoy this chapter as well.

* * *

"Jenna!" I called as I opened the door to the house.

"Living room!" She yells back.

Walking in I sprawl out next to her, grabbing the glass of wine she offers me as I look towards the TV.

"I see you went with a comedy tonight." I laugh noticing that Clueless is playing, one of our favorite movies to watch together when we just need to laugh.

"I needed a laugh to distract me from the fact that one of my nieces is going to die and then come back to life tonight." She tells me sardonically.

"Don't worry. I took care of it, she'll come back human and everything will be right in Elena Gilbert's little world." I sigh, "Though…we will be planning a funeral. And by planning I mean having a grave digger compelled and making it a very intimate funeral."

"Why are we having a funeral if Elena isn't going to die?" She asks me sitting up abruptly.

Taking a big gulp on the wine, "Elena will live but John won't."

"John? What does he have to do with this? Since when is he in town?" She asks confused.

"Since I had to call him to town after Damon royally fucked up my plans." I say displeased, "He didn't want to believe that the elixir would work, so he gave Elena his blood. John is doing the only thing we can do to make sure that when Elena wakes up, she wakes up human. Unfortunately, that means that he won't survive. It's a lot of magic mumbo jumbo."

"I don't…I'm sorry Olivia." She hugs me tightly, "I know you two had a lot of ups and downs but he's family. He's a complete and utter ass, but he's family."

"I'll be alright. I got to say my goodbye. We had a nice conversation…for once." I laugh. "No one else knows. Well maybe Jeremy put it together after I left, but as of right now, just you and me."

"I'm ending it with Alaric." Jenna says suddenly a few minutes later.

Turning to her, "You are? Why? Not that I'm surprised, I just thought you would take some more time to think about it."

Shaking her head, "I can't be with a man who deliberately kept so much from me. Everything he didn't tell me could have killed me. Hell Katherine almost did! He knew and he _chose_ not to tell me anything. How can I be with someone who doesn't respect me enough to be honest with me? No, I have more self worth than that now…I'm not in high school anymore. I'm an adult and I deserve someone who will be honest with me at all times."

"You'll find him." I tell her smiling, "You deserve someone who will look at you like you hung the damn moon in the sky."

"I have you to thank for that, by the way." She says, "You told me the truth, opened my eyes to everything going on around me. Made me realize that even though I feel for Alaric, it isn't and wasn't going to last. He was much too content to keep things from me at my seventeen year old nieces request."

"You should come with me to New York sometime. I have this friend you would just love." I tell her laughing, "I mean, I was serious about the Elijah thing earlier. Though honestly, he's a little to hung up on a past love of his, and you deserve someone who won't compare you."

"You have a friend old enough that I would date?" She asks me incredulously, "I don't even know how to feel about that."

"He was Chris' friend first, I'm just to damn amazing not to love." I joke with her. "Seriously he's a great guy. I'm considering taking a little vacation to New York this summer. Get away from all of this. You should consider coming with me, even if it's only a few days. You could use a break too."

"I'll think about it. A break from all of this drama does sound appealing." She muses.

* * *

 _Walking through the front door of a beautiful, Victorian house, "Kol?" I call out._

 _Hearing no verbal response I continue walking through the living room, not paying any attention to the objects inside the room as I hear a melody begin to play on a piano._

 _Smiling to myself I follow the sound, "I didn't realize you were a skilled pianist." I tease him as I hear him mess up a bit._

 _"_ _Oh Darling, I'm skilled in many talents. It'll take you centuries to discover them all." He teases back._

 _Walking into the room, empty aside from the Baby Grand piano in the center of it. It's dimly lit with about two-dozen candles, just light enough for me to make out his form but no features of his face. That seems to be the norm in these dreams._

 _"_ _Don't pout, Olivia Darling." He says softly, as if he knows exactly what I'm thinking. "When you finally see me, I wish to be alive. I want to hear your heartbeat become quicker, see the look in your eyes…be able to hold you in the flesh. Not just in a dream."_

 _"_ _I know, Kol." I sigh, "I hate waiting for it though. It should be soon…I hope anyway."_

 _"_ _I'm afraid you'll be waiting a little longer Darling." He sighs, "It's not quite time for us yet. Deep down you know that you won't see me awake and in your world for a few more months."_

 _Blinking back the tears of frustration, "I know. I just…I told Nik to do whatever he needs to do. Whatever it takes to make sure the threat, the reason that he keeps you daggered in the coffin is gone. I just wish it could be done sooner."_

 _Running my hand over the top of the piano, only a few feet away from him, "I was so close to you. To your coffin but I refused to open it. Nik didn't understand at first…but I keep thinking about that moment. I could feel you…your energy, your love. It took everything I had not to pry it open. I think back to that moment when I need to remind myself that everything I'm doing, every decision I make is worth it no matter who I'll piss off with all this. You will always be worth more."_

 _Pulling me down to sit next to him, he wraps his arm around my shoulder bringing me into his body. "When the dagger is removed from me, I'll bring you anywhere your heart desires. We'll travel the world ten times over if you wish it. You'll never be far from my sight. Never be far from me." He vows to me gently._

 _"_ _I'm holding you to that promise, Mikaelson." I smile sadly, "I have to wake up now don't I?"_

 _"_ _Sadly, my love. Don't be upset. When this is all over you'll be happy. We'll be ruthless, cause chaos, and travel the globe together. We'll be together." He tells me, his lips gently kissing my forehead, "Until the next dream, Olivia Darling."_

* * *

"How are you doing with all of this Jer?" I ask him as he comes to sit next to Jenna and me at the table as we get home from the small funeral for John.

"I lost another family member…I'm swell." He says sarcastically.

"I'm sorry, Jer…I really am…I just, it was the only way." I say quietly, "Everything was going perfectly fine until Damon decided to be Damon about the situation."

"I'm not mad Liv. I'm upset because our family is getting smaller and smaller every year, but I'm also happy because you made sure that Elena didn't become a vampire which we all know she doesn't want. At least not right now." He pulls me into a hug.

"Thanks for not hating me after I made you go to another funeral." I laugh weakly.

"I don't think I could ever hate you Liv." He smiles, "Don't tell Elena but you're my favorite."

"Oh trust me, I knew that already." I laugh loudly.

 ** _Meet me in the park near the bench at the end of the trail. – Elijah._**

"You two wanna head to The Grill with me?" Jenna asks as she stands to grab her purse, "I'm starved."

"Sure, why not." Jeremy answers.

"I would, but I need to go and meet someone right now." I say giving Jenna a pointed look.

"That's okay. Go and take care of it. Me and Jeremy can have some bonding time." She teases him, "Come on kid."

* * *

"Where's Nik?" I ask Elijah as I walk up to him taking the seat next to him on the bench.

"He's in the woods just over there." He points, "The full moon came and went and he's still a wolf. He's relishing a bit."

"Well this is about a thousand years late for him." I laugh, "He needs to let his wolf settle a bit I guess."

"I'm to assume your plan worked then?" He asks.

Rolling my eyes, "Of course it worked. I came up with it. Of course, my original plan would have worked much better since I wouldn't have had to bury another member of my family, but I can't dwell on that."

"I apologize that it came to that." He tells me solemnly.

"Don't. Honestly, Elijah, it isn't your fault. It's Damon's. Just one more reason I can add to the list I'm gonna give Kol as to why he can happily inflict as much pain as he likes on him." I say with a big smile.

"You truly are meant for him, soon you will be together." He promises me.

Looking at him I think back to my dream…it won't be soon. Soon for a vampire sure, but by human standards I still have so much time left before I can touch him, hold him, kiss him. Part of me knows that no matter what Nik told Elijah it's not going to happen the way he thinks it is. I suppose that may be my fault really, I'm putting my wants, my needs before everything else.

"It'll be worth all the time in the world when I can finally be wrapped up in his arms. I'll never let him go." I smile sadly, "I'm going to lose so many of my friends over it. Jenna will stand by me, and I believe Jeremy will too. But everyone else won't understand."

"Those who truly care about you and your happiness will stand by you. I believe your one friend, Chris, will stand by you. You do not need the people that surround Elena, you have your own who will respect and stand with you for all time." He says sincerely, wrapping me up in a tight hug, "You have a new family, some of your old family will mix with us but you will _always_ have us."

Hugging him tighter I let out a deep breath. He's right of course. I'll lose some friends, but in the end I will still have the ones who truly care for me. I'll have Chris, Kyle and Jenna. I'll have the entire Mikaelson family. I won't be alone waiting for Kol to wake up. Even if everyone I associate with now gets upset and angry with me, I'll have people to turn to.

"You're the best big brother a girl could ask for, Elijah." I smile into his chest, blinking way the tears in my eye. "I only hope I'll be a good little sister to you for the rest of eternity."

"Oh I have no doubts that there will be times when I want nothing more than to lock you away in a room when you and Kol get into trouble." He laughs at me.

"Like I would ever let you lock me away." I scoff, "I'm too smart for that. I'll just make sure that when Kol and I get into trouble it's on a different continent from you."

"I'll know." He says simply.

Feeling my phone go off in my back pocket I take it out, sighing at the name, "What Elena?"

 _"_ _I need you to meet me at the Boarding House. It's an emergency." She says quickly._

"What could possibly be happening right now?" I ask her annoyed.

 _"_ _I don't want to get into it on the phone. Stefan needs you for something. Just come here." She says before she hangs up._

"I guess I'm being summoned. I swear they don't know how to solve their own fucking problems. Let me know when Nik is done playing wolf." I tell him, hugging him quickly as I get into my car. "I need to have a discussion with him."

"One day they will have no choice but to solve everything on their own. As for Niklaus, I don't expect it to last much longer." He tells me, "I'll let you know the moment he's no longer a wolf."


	13. Chapter 13

"Let me get this straight, you called me over here telling me that there is an _emergency_ , only to tell me that Damon was bitten by Tyler and now he's dying?" I ask them exasperated.

"Yes. I know that you and Damon have your differences but there has to be some way to save him." Elena states.

"I'm failing to see how this is my problem. Damon and I are not friends." I shrug, "Besides, how could I possibly help?"

"Oh come on! We all know that you know way more about the supernatural world than you let on. There has to be someone you can ask about this." Elena yells.

"Technically there are two people I could ask." I divulge.

"I'm assuming one of them is Elijah, but it's not as if he'd help us." Stefan finally says joining the conversation.

"You're right, he won't help _you_ , me however." I trail off with a smirk on my face.

"Can you just ask him then?" Stefan pleads, "He's my brother…I can't just do nothing."

Looking at Stefan, my expression blank, "I can, but I won't. Damon is not my problem or responsibility. He's a big boy who has never been held accountable for his actions a day in his life. He's nothing to me anymore."

"How can you be so cold about this?" Elena shouts at me.

"None of you so much as batted an eyelash when he snapped my neck because he didn't _agree_ with me. Why the hell would I ever willingly help save him when he had no actual knowledge that I would wake up after he did that?" I glare at her.

"Oh please, you know how Damon is. He acts before he thinks all the time, that's just who he is!" Elena cries out defensively.

"That isn't an excuse Elena! You honestly don't care that he did that to me! You care more about saving him than anything he's ever done to any of us! That's pathetic." I yell enraged. "I kept you alive Elena! You would be a vampire right now if it wasn't for me and you don't even have the decency to thank me or care."

"Of course I'm thankful." She rolls her eyes, "But right now Damon's life is in jeopardy!"

Standing up I grab my keys off the table, "You are one of the most ungrateful people I know, Elena. Honestly, I'm sorry Stefan but you should have known that coming to me for help saving Damon wasn't going to end well. If you can manage to find a way to save him, then good for you, just leave me out of it."

* * *

Starting the drive over to Alaric's apartment, I call Chris.

 _"_ _Yeah?" He greets me._

"How would you like for your favorite person in the entire world to come and visit you for awhile this summer?" I ask him cheerfully.

 _"_ _You know I never turn down a visit." He laughs at me._

"Good because I'll be leaving either tonight or tomorrow morning to come and visit!" I inform him, "I may be bringing Jenna with me…Kyle's still single right?"

 _"_ _You are not playing matchmaker, Liv." He scolds me._

"Hush! They'd be perfect for each other. She needs a good guy who will treat her like a goddess! The last one was a secret dick." I tell him.

 _"_ _I thought you liked him?" He asks me._

"I did. Now I like him just fine, but he isn't right for her. She wasn't happy, and she deserves more than what he can give her."

 _"_ _Alright fine! But you leave me out of the matchmaking shit! I'm very happy being single." He jokes with me, "I'll go and set up the spare room so it's ready for human living again. I guess I should also stock up on alcohol and food."_

"You're my favorite human!" I laugh, "I gotta go though. I've got some business to take care of and I just pulled into the parking lot. I'll let you know whether I'm coming up late tonight or early tomorrow."

 _"_ _Can't wait Liv. Try to behave yourself until you get here." He tells me, "I love you, be safe."_

"I always try! Trouble just seems to find me!" I defend myself, "Love you too loser!"

Getting out of my car, I send a quick text to Elijah as I walk up the stairs.

 ** _'_** ** _I'm at Alaric's place. Try to hurry – I don't relish the idea of waiting long with Katherine.'_**

"What the hell are you doing here?" Katherine asks me as I close the door behind me.

"Well hello to you too sunshine." I say sarcastically as I take a seat on the bar stool next to the counter.

"Olivia. What are you doing here?" She asks me again.

"Waiting." I shrug.

"Waiting for what exactly?" She asks warily.

"More like who am I waiting for." I smile at her, "The answer is Elijah and Nik."

"Nik?" She asks confused, as she walks over to me in what I assume is a stance I should be afraid of. "Why are you waiting for them?"

"That's really none of your business." I tell her.

"I'm making it my business." She glares at me, "I mean, what would everyone else say if word was to get out that you are all buddy-buddy with the Originals?"

"I can imagine they'll all be pissed off at me." I roll my eyes, "But that's not really a concern of mine. I'm allowed to do whatever I please, that includes who I associate myself with. Besides, I'm practically family to them."

Katherine sputtered, her eyes getting slightly wider, "I'm sorry, family?"

Hearing footsteps outside the door, "Someone's here." I tell her, purposely ignoring her question.

We stay quiet, looking towards the door as Stefan peaks his head in, his eyes getting slightly wider in surprise at seeing me here.

"Hello Katherine…Olivia." He says calmly.

"I've been waiting for two days. Klaus is supposed to be dead." Katherine grits out to him.

"We ran into complications." Stefan sighs and I have to hold back a small laugh.

"Complications? That's one way of putting it." I mutter.

"It doesn't really matter, I just need to find him. Do you have any idea where he might be?" Stefan asks her before she shoves him into the wall and holds him there with her arm over his chest.

"Shh." She tells him quietly. "Klaus, you're back. Look who decided to come for a visit." She says louder as she pulls Stefan away from the wall and lets him go.

"You just keep popping up, don't you?" Nik says sarcastically. Turning to me he smiles a bit, "Hello love, you're looking ravishing."

"Shut it Nik." I laugh, walking over to hug Elijah first, then him. "Whatever would your brother think of you flirting with me?"

"Nothing he needs to know love." He smirks back.

"I need you help." Stefan cuts in, giving me a look of betrayal, "For my brother."

"Well, whatever it is, he's gonna have to wait a tick. You see, I have an obligation to my brother" Nik says waving his hand towards Elijah. "That requires my immediate attention."

Following Nik's movements with my eyes I step away from Elijah and back to the bar stool as I hear him talking to Stefan.

"You understand how important family is, or you wouldn't be here. My brother gave me his word that he would reunite me with my own." Elijah tells him slightly somber.

"And so I shall." Nik tells him from behind, before he thrusts the dagger into Elijah's chest.

"Nik!" I yell as I run over to them, my eyes falling to Elijah's face as he looks up with anguish in his features.

"You are not leaving him on the ground like this." I tell Nik as he lets Elijah's body fall to the floor.

This is the second time I've watched him die, this would be worse than the first time. Knowing that he won't just wake up, that I won't be able to have a proper conversation with him for god knows how long now.

"Remember what we discussed, Olivia love." Nik reminds me, "You told me to do whatever it takes. _This_ " he points to Elijah, "Is whatever it takes."

"I know that, but it doesn't stop me from feeling a little guilty about it." I mutter to him as he leads me over to the table again.

"I suppose I should tell you to cherish that feeling, in a few years time you won't feel guilty for anything you do." He laughs a bit, before his expression becomes dark.

Shoving Stefan into the wall, "Now, what am I gonna do with you?" Taking a knife he thrusts it into Stefan's chest, "Do you feel that? It's scraping against your heart. The slightest little movement, and you're dead."

Hearing Stefan groan in pain, "He's just trying to help his brother." Katherine says quietly.

"The witches said you had a cure." Stefan groans out, "Make me a deal. Just give me the cure, and I'll do whatever you want."

Taking the knife out, he walks over to the blood bag on the counter, "Trouble is I don't know if you'd be any good to me the way you are now. You are just shy of useless."

Looking at the scene in front of me, I scrunch my eyes together trying to figure out just what Nik is planning. Though I come up completely blank, Stefan isn't exactly the ruthless, remorseless vampire.

Nik walks back over and crouches down in front of Stefan, the glass of blood still in his hand, "I heard about this one vampire, crazy bloke, always on and off the wagon for decades. When he was off, he was magnificent. 1917, he went into Monterey and wiped out an entire migrant village." He stands up and looks down at him, "A true ripper. Sound familiar?"

Shaking his head, Stefan looks down, "I haven't been that way in a very long time."

"Well, that's the vampire I can make a deal with. That is the kind of talent that I can use when I leave this town." He tells Stefan as he stands up shakily. "Katerina, come here."

Placing her hand in his outstretched palm, his eyes dart to mine before he smirks and bites her wrist. I laugh loudly as she pulls it away from him crying out.

"Ah! No. No. No." She repeats shaking her head.

Biting his own wrist, he shoves it into her mouth forcing her to drink. My eyes dancing in amusement as I realize what it all means.

"Your blood is the cure." I say astonished, walking over to them and standing beside Nik, glancing down at Katherine's now healed wrist.

"Correct you are love," He smiles at me, turning to Stefan, "You want your cure? There it is."

"Olivia, grab me that bottle." He says pointing towards Maddox's things.

"Walking over I pick it up and walk towards the table, taking the seat beside him and hand it to him.

Watching him pick up the knife he had previously shoved into Stefan, he slices his hand open and lets it fill with his blood. "There it is. You want to save your brother? How about a decade-long bender? I have big plans for you when we leave this town."

"I'm not like that anymore." Stefan says defiantly.

Scoffing I roll my eyes at him. Earlier today they would have done anything to save Damon's life, and now he's too afraid to do what needs to be done. He's not truly ruthless, he just doesn't know when to stop, that's the only reason I ripper is so dangerous.

"Well, that's too bad. You would have made a hell of a wingman." Nik mocks as he begins to pour his blood into the sink.

"Wait." Stefan pleads quietly, his voice full of the emotions he's trying to drown.

"Now that's more like it. I want you to join me for a drink." Nik smirks as he tosses a blood bag down the counter.

"As fascinating as this is, Nik, I just wanted to see if you needed my help yet or if I can take off for a little while and escape this miserable town?" I ask him, as we watch Stefan down the third blood bag of the night.

"No, go and enjoy your summer love. I'll call you when it's time for you to help." He tells me, "Besides, New York is lovely in the summer."

"Alright fine, but if I don't hear from you in a few weeks I'll be calling your phone until you – wait a minute, how do you know I'm going to New York?" I ask him glaring a bit.

"I've got a lot of friends." He shrugs.

"False. You have a lot of people who work for you. I'm currently your only friend. How do you know that I'm going to New York, Nik?" I ask him again.

Sighing, "You're family, love. I like to know where my family is at all times. I know you're capable of taking care of yourself, but should you ever be in a position that you need help, there will _always_ be someone there to look out for you if none of the family is around to do so."

Rolling my eyes, I pull him in for a quick hug. "You're incorrigible. I hope your hybrid making goes as planned."

"Have a good summer, and here take this." He slips me a piece of paper.

Opening it, I see an address, "What is this?"

"You'll find him there…in case you'd like to say goodbye before I leave this town." He tells me sincerely.

"Thank you Nik." I smile sadly. Turning to Stefan, "Good luck, Stefan. I hope Damon was worth all of this."

* * *

Parking in front of the warehouse Nik sent me to, I lean my forehead down on the steering wheel. Closing my eyes I take a few deep breaths, "You can do this Olivia, it's just one more time…one more chance to be near him." I mutter to myself.

Walking to the door, on of the vampires open it up for me and lead me through to the coffins. "Klaus told us to bring it out in the middle. Take as long as you'd like." The vampire told me as he walked away, leaving me alone.

Sighing I run my hand over the top of his coffin, just like the first time, "I'm so close Kol…I can feel it. I feel guilty though, about Elijah. He's daggered as well now and I can't help but believe it's my fault. I know he'll disagree and blame Nik for it all, but I'm the one who told Nik to do whatever he needs to do so I can wake you up.

"I'm lonely most of the time now…my life here is different. I'm different. I don't know when it all changed specifically, but it has. I don't belong in this town anymore, with these people."

Leaning down I kiss the top of his coffin, right over where is head is, "When you're finally awake, I'll never let you go Kol. You became the most important person to me the moment I learned about you and why my life is the way it is. I'll see you soon Kol…no matter what it takes."


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:** The long awaited update is officially here. I feel terrible that it has taken me this long to publish the next chapter. Unfortunately, life and writers block has majorly gotten in the way. I won't drag on with details but my personal life has been quite up and down since the start of August. I've re-written this chapter more times than I can count and honestly, I'm hoping this is up to par with the others. I won't promise that the updates will be as good as they were in the beginning, all I can say is that it won't take me another three months to update. I hope that those of you who are still waiting for this update, and who are still encouraging me enjoy this chapter.

* * *

The first thing I hear when I answer my phone is Nik's agitated voice, _"You didn't tell me your sister survived the sacrifice."_

"In my defense, you never asked if she did or not. Besides, I did tell you that I was going to do everything I could to make sure that she lived." I tell him calmly.

 _"_ _I'm not sure whether to thank you or be angry with you, love." He says vaguely, "I suppose that will be determined by whether or not your little witch friend can help me with my very large hybrid problem."_

"Nik, are you in town right now?" I ask him bending down to grab my shoes.

 _"_ _Just arrived at the high school." He tells me._

"I'm on my way."

Pulling into the parking lot I notice most of the students leaving, which is an odd sight since it's prank night. Stopping a random guy, "What's going on?"

"Prank night was busted." He shrugs walking off.

Rolling my eyes, I walk through the halls my ears straining to hear Nik's voice. Stopping in front of the gym, "And for Tyler's sake, you better hurry."

"Oh my god! Tyler!" I hear various voices yell.

Pushing the door open, "A bit dramatic don't you think?" I ask with a smirk.

"Olivia, love how nice of you to join the party. How is dear Christopher doing?" Nik asks smugly.

"He says hello…for some reason he actually likes you." I laugh, my eyes drifting towards the blonde vampire next to him.

"Ah yes, Olivia this is Rebekah. Rebekah, Olivia Gilbert." He gestures with his hands.

"Oh my god…you really found her." She says softly, her eyes looking me over. "After all these years."

"Technically, Elijah found me first." I tell her, "I've heard a lot about you."

"Olivia! Will you stop talking to them like you're best friends!" Elena shrieks, "What the hell is going on? Tyler is dead!"

"He's not actually dead." I roll my eyes, "Bonnie, I would go and get that grimoire. If not, well then Tyler really will die."

"So this is the latest doppelgänger." Rebekah says startling Elena as she walks around her, looking her up and down unimpressed, "The original one was much prettier."

Stifling my laugh at the offended look on Elena's face, I look around the gym to notice it full of cups…a bit novice on the prank night side honestly.

"Enough, Rebekah." Nik sighs out, "Take the wolf boy elsewhere, would you?"

Smirking at Elena, she walks around to grab Tyler by his arm and drag him out of the gym.

Grabbing Elena's arm, "Just ignore her. Petty little thing." Nik says to her quietly.

"Oh I don't know, Nik, I rather enjoyed her." I say with a smile as I walk over to wrap my arms around him in a hug. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it, love. You'll make me seem soft." He mock glares as he pulls away from me.

"I can't believe you, Olivia." Elena mutters as she crouches down in front of Dana and Chad. "How can you be friends with him…after everything he's done and you stand here talking as if he didn't kill me!"

"Jesus Christ Elena! If you took your head out of your ass for one minute, you would realize that who I choose to associate with and have in my life is absolutely none of your business." I tell her seething, "You know nothing about me anymore, you have no idea what I'm capable of, what I _will_ be capable of. No clue as to what my life is going to hold in the next few months, and honestly your life is nothing compared to what I'll have. To who I'll have."

"You don't even sound like you anymore! How can you be so selfish?" Elena asks, anger in her eyes.

"I spent the majority of my life being selfless. Doing anything I could to help other people. I'm allowed to be selfish with this. I'm allowed to do what I want regardless of what anyone else thinks of me." I say with finality, as the door to the gym opens.

Looking over I see Stefan, walking into the gym the emotion barely betrayed on his face.

"Stefan…" Elena whispers as she stands up.

Ignoring her, he looks at Nik. "Klaus."

"Come to save your damsel, Mate?" Nik asks him.

"I came to ask for your forgiveness." Stefan tells him, "And pledge my loyalty."

"Well, you broke that pledge once already." Nik remarks.

"Elena means nothing to me anymore." He says looking at her, "And whatever you ask of me, I will do." He tells Nik as he walks in front of him.

"Fair enough." Nik smirks standing up. Turning to me he offers his hand for me to take, rolling my eyes I grab it and walk next to him, towards Elena. "Let's drink on it. Kill them."

Chad grabs onto Dana's arm as the stand up, fear evident on their face. Turning back to look at Stefan, he hasn't moved an inch.

"What are you waiting for Stefan?" I ask him sarcastically. Knowing how unlikely he is to actually kill them, especially in front of Elena.

"Kill them." Nik says again.

"No! Stefan, don't. He's not going to hurt me. He already said—" Elena shouts before she's cut off as Nik backhands her to make a point.

Rolling my eyes at his flair for the dramatics, I watch Stefan run at him, his vampire visage out to play. Nik easily takes control of the situation and within seconds has his hand around Stefan's throat, squeezing tightly.

"She means nothing to you? Your lies just keep piling up." He growls out angrily.

"Let her go! I'll do whatever you want, you have my word!" Stefan pleads with him.

"Your word doesn't mean much. I lived by your word all summer, during which time I never had to resort to this. _Stop fighting._ " He compels.

"Don't do this. Don't do this." Stefan shakes his head, as much as he can.

"I didn't want to." Nik tells him displeased, "All I wanted was your allegiance. Now I'm going to have to take it. _You will do exactly as I say when I say it. You will not run. You will not hide, you will simply just obey._ "

"No!" Elena cries out in a whisper, getting to her feet she plants herself in front of me. "How can you let him do this?"

Laughing a bit, "Let him? In what world do I have any control over another being? Nik is allowed to do as he pleases, there isn't much I can do to stop him, even I if I wanted to, which I don't."

"You've really changed…I wanted to believe after the summer away you would be the same Olivia, but you're not. You're cold. Heartless. Practically evil." She grits out.

Setting my jaw I look her in the eye, "If you truly think that of me…you haven't seen anything yet, Elena." Walking to stand next to Nik I bump her shoulder as I pass forcing her to move.

"Just get it over with Nik, this is taking far to long." I tell him quietly.

Smiling down at me, he nods slightly before looking back at Stefan, "Now kill them. Ripper."

Watching his face closely, I can see the immediately response he has. His features changing, eyes growing darker and then he's passed me, latched on to Chad's neck.

"It's always nice to see a vampire in his true element." Nik taunts Elena as he crouches down next to her. "The species has become such a broody lot."

"No. You did this to him." Elena refutes.

"I invited him to the party, love." He mocks, "He's the one dancing on the table."

"Where is it?!" Rebekah shouts as she throws the gym doors open, and marches towards us.

"Where is what?" I ask her confused by her rage.

"Where's my necklace?" She says walking towards us.

"What are you talking about?" Nik asks her annoyed.

"She has my necklace. Look." She tells him as she hands him a phone. Curious, I walk over and glance at the screen, before looking at Stefan disbelieving he could be that stupid.

"Well, well. More lies." Nik grits.

"Where is it?" Rebekah growls at Elena.

"I don't have it anymore." She shakes her head.

"You're lying!" She yells as she grabs her and bites her neck.

Seconds later Nik pulls her off, "Knock it off!"

"Make her tell me where it is, Nik!" She demands.

Clasping his hands together, he once again crouches down in front of my sister, "Where's the necklace, sweetheart. Be honest."

"I'm telling the truth. Katherine stole it." She tells him, holding her neck tightly as she continues to bleed.

"Katerina. Of course." Nik mutters, "Well, that's unfortunate. If we had the necklace it would make things a whole lot easier for your witch, but since we're doing this the hard way, let's put a clock on it, shall we?" He says as the buzzer sounds and twenty minutes begins to countdown.

"Twenty minutes. If Bonnie hasn't found a solution by then, I want you to feed again." He tells Stefan as he walks in front of him, "Only this time, I want you to feed on Elena. You know you want to." He taunts.

"No! Klaus! Don't do this to him!" She yells.

"No one leaves. If she tries to run, fracture her spine." Nik says as he grabs my arm and we walk out of the gym.

"You're really going to have him feed on my sister?" I ask him incredulously. "After all I've gone through to keep her alive."

"Come on, love, she does deserve to be in a bit of pain. Especially when she causes you so much." He tells me gently.

He isn't wrong. I know that, I know its horrid of me to even have the thought that if she were to get hurt, I may feel a tad better about all this. Her ungratefulness has hit a new level, and I'm finding it harder and harder to try to keep her alive. To go against Nik, instead of help him.

My silence saying the words I can't form. "Don't worry, Olivia…all will be better soon. I promise."

"It's getting harder." I admit, "The dreams have been so frequent this summer. I know it won't be too much longer, but it's driving me mad that I can't have him to myself yet."

"The two of you together, from what I can tell anyway, will burn cities to the ground for one another if you so much as asked." Rebekah comments, "We've been waiting for you to be born for a thousand years, and I've seen him talk about how he'll treasure you once he finds you. You're fierce, Olivia. Your loyalty and love isn't given out easily, but I'm more than happy that we have it."

"Your family has helped me in ways no one I've known my entire life has ever tried to." I tell her, "Nik may be an arrogant hybrid ass, but he's been more caring towards me than my own flesh and blood. Elijah too. I know we'll get along just fine, besides, you could really use a girl to talk to." I laugh.

"Yes…having a sister will be a nice change." She admits softly as we walk away towards an empty classroom.

* * *

"Well, the verdicts in. The original witch says the doppelganger should be dead." Nik announces as he waltzes into the room.

"Does that mean we can kill her?" Rebekah asks enthusiastically.

"No, I'm fairly certain it means the opposite." He tells her.

"What?" She asks as she grabs Caroline and pulls her back.

"Call it a hunch. Elena's blood, drink it." He tells Tyler, holding it out in front of him.

"No! No, no, no, Tyler, don't!" Caroline shouts.

"Shut up, Caroline!" I say as I walk towards him, taking the vile of blood from Nik I lean down in front of Tyler, "Drink it, Ty…otherwise you'll be dead. It's not time for you to die."

Glancing from me to Nik a few times, "It's okay. You'll be okay, all you have to do is drink." I tell him softly.

Taking it from me slowly, he drinks it before collapsing on the ground in convulsions as he groans out in pain. Screaming loudly as he holds his head, I look towards Nik with a smile on my face…it's working. Tyler's head shoots up towards Nik as he looks down at him, Tyler's eyes a piercing gold, the hybrid visage clear as day.

"Well, that's a good sign." Nik says with a smirk.

* * *

"You're supposed to be excited." Jenna laughs at me from her perch on the counter top.

Not lifting my head of the table, "I should be, I want to be. Senior year, it's supposed to be fun but all I can think about is having to deal with Elena and the Scooby Gang bullshit." I groan out.

"That's why I called Kyle this morning, he said they'd be here in a few days." She tells me, finally getting up to hand me the travel mug of coffee that just finished brewing.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure Kyle's coming down here to see me." I laugh, "Chris yes, Kyle is all for you."

"I…thank you, Olivia." She says sincerely, "I've never been this happy."

"You deserve all the happiness, Jenna." I hug her, "I will take full credit at your wedding though."

"Yeah, yeah…go to school." She laughs as she pushes me out of the kitchen.

* * *

Truthfully the beginning of my day went rather well, a bit surprised to find out that Nik ran off to create more hybrids leaving Rebekah behind with me. It'll be nice to have her around though, seeing as everywhere I look I'm met with disapproving looks from the people I've known my whole life.

Shutting my locker I'm almost out of the building when someone grabs my arm from behind.

"We need to talk." Caroline said as she forcefully pushes me into Alaric's classroom.

Yanking my arm out of her grasp, "Fucks sake Caroline!"

"It's been a long day, I'm sorry if that was a bit to forceful." She tells me, slightly apologetic.

Looking around, I barely glance at the faces that surround me. "What is this, some kind of intervention?"

"In a way." Bonnie says, "We're concerned."

"Concerned? About what exactly, because from where I stand, I'm the only person in this room that has any chance of living with how much you've pissed off an Original." I say mockingly.

"Klaus is dangerous, and he needs to die." Damon scowls, "I won't let you endanger Elena again."

Turning slowly to look at him, "Excuse me? Endanger her? Fucking hilarious coming from you! I _saved_ her at the expense of losing my biological father after _you_ forced me to search for another option!"

"You're friends with the enemy! You can't be trusted!" He shouts at me, stepping closer.

"I haven't trusted you for months, Damon. It doesn't hurt my feelings in the slightest that you don't trust me, you don't need to." I shrug, "You probably shouldn't. According to Elena, I'm cold, heartless and selfish. There's no telling just how far I'll go to get what I want."

"How can you turn your back on us like this?" Bonnie shakes her head, "We're your best friends…and you choose _them?_ "

"I didn't choose anyone over anyone, Bonnie. I'm allowed to have friends outside of this little group, outside of Mystic fucking Falls. I was told the truth about me, what I am, why I am. I wanted to tell you all the truth the, but I can't. It's not the time, and I know how you'll react. You all want to see this as black and white. Good and evil. Well news flash, the world isn't like that! It's full of grey areas and I happen to be a grey area.

"I will gladly hurt anyone who gets in my way when it comes to the people I love, or the things I want in this life. I will gladly protect the ones I love; I've proven that time and time again. I don't owe anyone anything. Some of the choices I've made have been questionable, but I don't regret a single one of them. If you want to make me the bad guy, go ahead. Get together and talk shit about someone you supposedly care about, it won't change anything." I tell them with conviction.

"So that's it?" Damon scoffs, "You won't help us because Elena hurt your feelings?"

"No, Damon. I won't help you because you have no clue just how small you are in the world. Not everything revolves around my sister, my life certainly doesn't." I tell him coldly. "I've given up quite a bit of my time and energy to save her life and you have successfully fucked up every single plan I laid out for you to follow. I have no desire to help anymore."

"You're no better than the Originals then. An enemy." Damon glares.

"I'd rather be like them, than _you._ " I laugh. "I wish I could say that I'm surprised at this turn of events, but I can't. I never expected any of you to side with me at all; it's always been Elena. I'll live, I do have other friends, people I consider family. I just wonder how long you can all keep this up, keep acting like nothing is wrong in this group of yours."

"You know it's not like that, Olivia." Caroline argues, "We love you. We just want you to be happy, and this…I mean they can't be trusted!"

"You don't know them enough to make that kind of judgment. You know the basics, the superficial façade they show the world, and _I_ know them deeper than that. You can believe what you wish, but if you keep going up against them, you won't make it out unscathed." I warn them.

"You would let them hurt us? Me?" Elena asks me.

"I can't stop them from doing anything. Free will, Elena. I've asked Nik for a lot with keeping you alive and honestly they only reason none of you have been seriously injured by his hand is because of our friendship, but I won't continue to ask him to spare you if all you're going to do is put yourselves in danger because you can't accept reality." I explain to her calmly.

"He has a hold over Stefan! He's evil and I want him gone!" Elena yells, "I thought I could count on you!"

"You insult me, then expect me to help you?" I scoff, "Honestly Elena, you really should see a therapist with how delusional you're being."

"If you walk out of this room without helping us," Damon starts.

"Nothing will change." I cut him off, "I don't care for you and quite frankly I hope Nik tears your heart from your chest while I watch. I'm not the person you want to continue threatening, Damon."

The next few weeks will change things, if none of you can see past this town and your little problems…then there's nothing for me here." I say walking towards the door, "If you ever pull a stunt like this again, you'll regret it."


	15. Chapter 15

"Are you going the bonfire tonight?" Rebekah asks me as I approach my car.

"I wasn't planning on it, why?" I ask as I throw my bag in the back.

"I want to go." She states simply.

"You should. It'll be fun for you." I tell her with a smile.

"Come with me."

Looking at her, I can see the wariness in her eyes. She's never had an actual high school experience or a real friend, and since I'm her first friend that isn't going to be murdered by her homicidal brother I sigh, "Fine. I'll go."

Smiling brightly, "Pick me up at 8."

"Being demanding must run in your family." I laugh, "Tell me, is this something I can look forward to with Kol?"

Laughing lightly, "Of course it is, we all know what we want. With you though, I doubt he'll have to demand a single thing from you or even would at all. For you two it'll be as easy as breathing, you'll be so in tuned to what the other needs or wants, if I was a lesser being I might be jealous."

"It's terrifying if I'm be honest." I admit to her, "I want him so badly. I know in my soul that he's meant to be mine, he's the whole reason I'm even alive, but knowing that as soon as he wakes I have that kind of commitment for eternity…fucking terrifying. He's had a thousand years give or take to search for me, be prepared to find me one day. I've had a few months, my whole life has changed so drastically in those months."

"I won't tell you that he'll be easy to be saddled with for eternity, but I can tell you that you are beyond perfect for him. You hold your ground so fiercely, are so loyal to those who deserve it, you love with everything you have, he needs that." She sighs, "He'll be the rock you need, with one look he'd destroy a city for you if you truly wanted."

"Now there's a scary thought." I laugh, "Can you imagine, me being the cause of an entire city burned to ruin?"

"It'll happen one day, and I'm certain I'll be there to watch from the sidelines as it does." She laughs with me.

* * *

"What do you want Nik?" I ask groggily as I answer my phone.

 _"_ _Well love, Stefan just called me to let me know that apparently you're sister has daggered Mikael." He tells me._

Sitting up straight, "There's no way she could have daggered him, even if the Salvatore boys both helped her. She's not strong enough and neither are they, no matter how much they like the believe they are."

 _"_ _My thoughts exactly, love. Most startling Rebekah corroborated the story." He tells me scathing, "I need you to do your best to find out why that is. I'll be coming back to Mystic Falls with quite a few hybrids, but I do not like being played for a fool."_

"They won't talk to me about it, but I'll try Bekah. No matter what, I'm her only true friend so it shouldn't be terribly difficult to get her to come clean." I tell him as I make my way to the bathroom. "I'll call you as soon as I know."

 _"_ _You're a saint, Olivia." He praises._

"Flattery gets you nowhere, Nik." I laugh as I hang up.

This whole situation is a mess. One giant uncalled for mess. Frankly I don't want any damn part of it anymore. For one day, just one, I want a drama free day. It's wishful thinking on my part, as I will probably never achieve that goal a day in my life.

"Going out?" Kyle asks from his seat at the table.

"Scooby gang's planning something, even roped Rebekah into it this time." I tell them as I pour some coffee in the travel mug. "Nik's asked me ever so politely, to go and find out what the hell is going on."

"Rebekah lied to him?" Jenna asked astonished.

"Apparently." I shrug, "And now it's my job to find out why. I have no doubt that Elena and them dug up something to use against her. Deep down Bekah is a vulnerable teenage girl who wants acceptance and friendship."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Kyle asks.

Ever since Chris left to go back to New York he's taken on the roll of protective older brother even more, especially with all the drama that goes on here.

"I'll be fine Kyle, I can't be killed remember?" I smile at him.

"Chris left me in charge of keeping you safe, as if I don't already do that every time you come to visit us anyway." He says annoyed, "Just because you knew him first doesn't mean I wouldn't give everything I have to protect you."

"And I love you for it." I smile at him as I lean down to kiss his cheek, "Besides, if I didn't love you, do you really think I would have let you meet Jenna. She needs you protecting her more than I do since she's the human in this situation."

"Just because I'm human doesn't mean I can't take care of myself." She huffs.

"Of course it doesn't." I smirk at her.

"That's it, get out of here before you two gang up on me again." She tells me, pushing me towards the door. "Call if you get into any trouble."

* * *

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your presence?" Damon drawled annoyed from his seat on the sofa.

"Absolutely nothing. I'm not here for you." I say not stopping for a second on my way up the stairs to the room Rebekah had claimed as hers for the time being.

Opening her door I see her fussing with her hair, "You and I need to talk. Put shoes on and lets go."

I turn not bothering to look back and see if she's following me. I know she will, I've never spoken to her that way before. Never demanded that she do something, but right now she's put a kink in my goal to get Kol out of that damn coffin.

We don't speak on the drive, not until I'm sure I'm far enough away from any other vampires in town. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Looking over at me startled, "Excuse me?" she asks annoyed.

"You lied to Nik. I want to know why." I tell her plainly.

"He called you…of course he did." She mutters, "No one thought about that."

"Of course none of them thought about that, Bekah, they're utter morons with one track minds who can never follow through with anything!" I exclaim frustrated.

"He killed my mother." She says, interrupting my rant.

Well…that's news. I never doubted the terrible acts that Nik has done in the thousand years he's lived, but to kill your own mother…I can't understand. Nik is all about his family, which you'd know if you looked even an inch below the surface of the façade he puts on.

"Why would he kill your mother?" I ask her softly.

"She cursed him, Olivia. She turned her back on him and he killed her." She tells me, "He told us Mikael was the one who had done it. He _lied_ to me."

So that was what this was all about, he lied to her. He took her trust and twisted it for his gain. It made much more sense to me now that she would even entertain the idea of betraying him; it wasn't because her mother was killed, but because her older brother who she trusted so completely had lied for a thousand years. That kind of betrayal runs deep.

"I would say that I'm sorry, but I know firsthand that means shit in these situations. So instead, I'll say that I understand why you did it. I'm not happy with it, but I understand. I need you to understand that I won't let anything happen to Nik. I know that you're hurting and that is exactly how you should feel right now, but I also know that deep down you don't want your brother dead. Not for good." I remind her gently, "If anything, leave. Once all this is said and done, once everyone is out of their coffins then go. Explore _this_ world and see what it has to offer. Meet new people, find new loves. Experience life away from the overwhelming protection that your brothers have cast on your life for so long."

She sat quietly for a few minutes, just staring out the window of the car. "I'm angry…I'll admit I'm more hurt than angry, but I don't wish for him to be dead." She says quietly.

"He's going to hate me. Oh my…I mean I let them convince me to betray my family! How dare they use me as a pawn!" She shouts as it all catches up with her.

"There's the Rebekah I know." I laugh.

"I'll kill them." She seethes. "Rip their hearts from their chest. How dare they play me and think they can get away with that."

"All you have to do is go along with it. Go to homecoming like you wanted, have this experience tonight and we'll get revenge later. I need you to be my ears as I haven't spoken a word to them in a few days I have no idea what is going on." I tell her, "Don't trust them for a moment, Bekah. They'll stab you in the back as soon as they have an inkling that you could be a threat to their plan."

"Thank you, Olivia. You've been a breath of fresh air for my family, _our_ family. I couldn't be more happy that you'll be around for eternity." She smiles at me, before schooling her expression. "Now take me back to the boarding house, I need to get ready for this dance."

"Yes Ma'am, whatever you say." I say sarcastically.

* * *

Walking out into the hall, "Jenna? Can I borrow those silver pumps?"

She pokes her head out from her room, smiling at my dress, "Yeah, come on in."

Pausing at the door, "Is Kyle decent? I know he's good looking but there is only so much of him that I actually need to see."

Laughing loudly he yells, "I'm decent enough. All the naughty bits are covered."

"You look worried." Jenna points out as she hands me the shoes.

"I am. I haven't heard from Bekah since I dropped her off at the boarding house." I tell them as I slip the shoes on, "After all the shit that's gone down, I can't help but think they've done something and I have zero time to go and see if they did. Nik's already called twice to make sure I'm not late."

"You really think she would let her guard down with them" Kyle asked me.

Shrugging, "Yes. She's vulnerable right now. She may be an original vampire, but she's still just a seventeen-year-old girl. I'll have to deal with that tomorrow, tonight is all about making sure Mikael dies."

"And you're certain you don't want me to come with you tonight?" Kyle asks, double-checking.

"I'll have the utterly annoying but more immortal than I am hybrid with me, I'll be perfectly fine." I tell him smiling, "Besides, how often will you get this house to yourselves?"

"Touché." He laughs, "Call me if anything goes wrong and I'll be there within minutes."

"I promise." I smile walking out of the room.

"Remember to try and have some fun! And be careful!" Jenna yells down the stairs at me.

* * *

"There you are love." Nik smiles at me as I walk into the Lockwood house.

"Commandeering Tyler's house?" I ask slightly confused as I watch dozens of people setting up for a party.

"I've spent years planning my fathers wake, this wasn't how I intended it to happen but this is how it will. Besides, a homecoming dance with booze sounds so much better, don't you think?" He asks me with a smirk.

"Almost anything is better with alcohol." I laugh, "Have you heard from Rebekah?"

Frowning at me, "She hasn't been answering my calls. I assumed she would arrive with you."

Shaking my head, "I dropped her off at the Salvatore's after we had a little chat about why she lied to you. Told her to let me know if they come up with any other brilliant ideas but she never called."

"Rebekah is fickle, I'm sure she's fine." Nik says as he guides me towards the backyard, "Speaking of why she lied to me, what did she tell you."

"She knows that you killed your mother, that you've lied to her for the last thousand years. Understandably, she was a bit upset about it." I tell him. "I convinced her to realize that even though she was upset and definitely wanted to rip your heart from your chest, that she didn't want you dead. She seemed to become rational after the talk and went right back to being her lovely, bitchy, demanding self."

Making a sound between a growl and a sigh, "This damn town…I'd burn it all to the ground if I wasn't so fond of it. After tonight we'll make sure that she's safe and unharmed."

"What exactly do you need me to do here?" I ask him as I notice people from school filing into the backyard.

"You're my backup love. If anything should go wrong, or one of the infuriating Salvatore boys gets in the way, then you'll be there to make sure they don't succeed." He tells me as he hands me a bottle of beer. "Blend for now, play the part of inebriated high school student."

"The day that the Salvatore boys actually succeed completely in any plan they create will be the day the world ends." I laugh. "I'll be listening, give me a shout if you need my assistance."

"I shouldn't be surprised to see that you're here." I hear Stefan say from beside me.

"It's the homecoming dance, Stefan. You've been in this town long enough to know that we take our dances quite seriously." I say turning towards him, "I have to say, I'm surprised that _you_ are here."

"Klaus' orders." He shrugs simply.

"I'm sure." I muse. "Well, why don't we go and find him then. I'm sure that he's around here somewhere after that lovely little speech he made earlier."

"No need sweetheart," Nik's voice cuts in from behind us. "Hello Stefan."

"Quite the homecoming." Stefan comments.

"I've been planning my father's funeral for a thousand years. Granted, in no version of it were any of these people invited, but you get the idea." He smirks as he takes my arm and starts walking us through the sea of people.

"So what now? You just stop running?" Stefan asks him.

"No I reunite my family." He says simply, looking down at me with a small smile.

"Your family. You mean the people you cart around in caskets?" Stefan scoffs at him stopping.

"None of that matters anymore." Nik tells him with finality. "Mikael's gone. Bygones will be bygones."

Deciding to speak up, "The homecoming queen is still alive and well, so I'm assuming Rebekah isn't here yet. You wouldn't happen to know where she is, would you Stefan?"

"I have no idea. I thought she was coming with Matt." He answers looking at me with slight annoyance.

"Oh, be honest now, Stefan. Where's my sister?" Nik asks him again.

"I said I have no idea." Stefan shakes his head. "Now would you like me to take you to your father?"

Smirking at him, "Well, it wouldn't be a party without the guest of honor, would it?"

"Bring him here." I chime in cutting Nik off, "It would be a shame to miss out on such a great evening even for a minute."

"Yes, Stefan, bring him to me." Nik says looking him in the eye with a smirk.

"All right." Stefan says looking down before he shakes his head. "Perhaps there's something in it for me? My freedom from your compulsion."

"Oh, you want your freedom?" Nik taunts, "Well once he's dead and his weapon is destroyed, you'll have your freedom. It'll be my pleasure to give it back to you."

Watching him walk away I turn to Nik, "I believe you just put a slight kink in their plan."

"I want you to go somewhere for me." He tells me abruptly.

"Where?" I ask him confused, "I thought you needed me here."

"I need you to guard the family. Or more so, just wait there for me. I don't trust them." He mutters to me.

My heart leaps at the thought of being near Kol, "Where are they?"

* * *

Sitting on top of Kol's coffin, I nearly fall off it as my phone rings, startling me.

"Finally, Nik! It's been an hour." I yell at him annoyed.

 _"_ _I apologize for that, love. It's over now. Mikael's dead, Stefan has his freedom and tomorrow morning we'll reunite the family."_ He tells me softly, his voice full of emotion.

"Why can't I just take the dagger out of Kol now?" I ask longingly.

 _"_ _Tomorrow. They should be able to wake up in a home, not the back of a truck."_ He comments.

"Fine, fine. I'm going home now, I'll meet you here in the morning." I tell him hanging up.

Slipping off the coffin, I place my hand on it "Tomorrow Kol…we can start our forever tomorrow and I'll never leave your side. I'll admit since you can't hear me, I'm terrified. It's the most surreal feeling to know that this is the moment I've waited for and now that it's here I can't help but feel a tad insecure. I know that's ridiculous and I'm sure if you were able to respond to me that you would tell me as such. I already feel so deeply for you…and I haven't truly met you yet. The dreams have helped, but tomorrow…to be able to hold you in my arms is the moment I've waited for."

"Touching." I hear behind me.

Turning around with a small yell, "Stefan?!"

As he walks closer to me, I realize that I quite literally have nowhere else to move to. Trapped in the corner, "What are you doing here?"

"I am sorry about this." He tells me, and before I can utter out a word I feel his hands on my neck.

* * *

 **A/N:**

I can not even tell you how many times I have written and deleted this chapter before settling on this. The last two months have been incredibly hectic for me as it usually is during the holiday season. I make no promises about when the next chapter will be up, but I am so incredibly grateful that you have all stuck by me throughout this story so far. So thank you for all the lovely comments on the last chapter, and thank you to all the new readers out there who have proven to me that this story is worth continuing even if it is taking me longer than anticipated. I hope you all enjoy this chapter!


	16. Chapter 16

Groaning loudly I try to move my hands up to my neck, my eyes flying open when I can't move them an inch. Blinking a bit I look down and realize I'm tied to a chair. _Stefan._

I'm going to murder him.

I may not truly die, but coming back to life after having my neck snapped hurts. It's the worst kind of pain imaginable. Every muscle in your body aches when you try to move at first, my neck always stiff and almost to difficult to move for a few minutes. This was now the third time it's happened, and I swear to god I'll destroy the next person who does it.

Taking I deep breath I look around to notice I'm in the old witch house…with the coffins. If Stefan really believes that he can win against Nik, he's got another thing coming.

"You won't be getting out of that." Stefan comments as he walks in seeing me tugging my arms.

Glaring at him, "It's in your best interest that I do."

"Klaus took everything from me, Olivia. I'm only returning the favor." He tells me smug.

"How the hell do I have anything to do with this?" I ask him.

"Klaus considers you family. I can't exactly kill you permanently, but I can keep you out of commission over and over again." He says with a smirk.

Closing my eyes I start to laugh, "Stefan…oh Stefan, I'll give you credit where its due. You're predictable, and it's not just Nik that's going to be looking for me. I _almost_ pity you for what will happen. I mean do you honestly believe that you can beat Nik? He's an Original, a thousand years and some change old, and has a vindictive streak ten miles wide. For every time you kill me, there are a few people who will make you suffer twice that. Go ahead and try to win though, I imagine it'll turn into a tale of what not to do to the Original family."

"Enough!" He growls as he runs up to me, his hands once again finding my next.

* * *

As I come back to life…again, I can hear Stefan talking to someone. Shaking my head, I listen, as the voices get closer to the room.

"What do you want with me?" I hear a female voice ask him, Bonnie. Of course it's Bonnie. I'm in the witch house. Stefan really should get new tricks.

"Relax. I just need your help." He tells her condescendingly.

"Why would I help you? Elena said you saved Klaus' life." She seethes.

"Let me fill you in on a little secret about Klaus. He kept his family with him at all times, daggered, stored in coffins. And now, I have them. And I need you to help keep them hidden." He explains to her slowly.

"You're out of your mind." She tells him, "You're just going to make him angrier."

"His family is his one weakness. As long as I have that, I can ruin him." He scoffs, "Besides, I have another incentive for you."

"I don't have enough power to hide four Originals." Bonnie says, "How can there be more? You took his family already, there's nothing left."

"You're a witch. You hate Klaus. I know you can figure something out." Stefan baits her, "Come in down here and see for yourself."

Lifting my head up, I look at the entrance to the room, shaking my head as they walk in, Bonnie's eyes going wide.

"You kidnapped Olivia!" She yells at him, "You really have lost your mind."

"I told you, more incentive for you to figure it out." He tells her as he walks closer to me, "We wouldn't want anything to happen to her, now would we?"

"Hello Bonnie." I laugh, "Stefan's trying to be the villain, I don't think he's that good at it. I mean he has to keep killing me just to succeed. Which lets be honest, he won't."

"They know she's missing. It's not just Klaus that's on the war path trying to find her." Bonnie tells him.

"Exactly why you're going to help." He tells her, resting his hands on my shoulders.

"You can't expect me to just leave her tied to a chair down here?" She asks him incredulously.

"You can and you will. If she's not down here, she'll be helping him. She can't be trusted." He tells her.

"You've got to be fucking kidding." I mutter, "Bonnie, if you leave me down here I promise you, I will not be the reason you're afraid to leave your home."

"I…I'll see what I can do about the coffins." She says quietly.

"I knew you would do it." Stefan mocks, "Go ahead, look through your grimoire's. I'll take care of Olivia."

* * *

 **Third Person**

"You haven't heard from her at all?" Chris asked as he walked into the house Nik is renovating.

"Nothing. Stefan has her, I'm certain of it. I told her to go to the coffins until I gave her the call to leave, since Stefan has the coffins I can assume he has her somewhere as well." Nik seethed.

"I'll kill him if she's hurt in anyway." Kyle mutters angrily as he holds Jenna in his arms.

"Why would he take her?" Jenna asks them, "What does that accomplish?"

"Stefan believes that he's one step ahead of me, that if he has Olivia, I wont do as much in the way of revenge." Nik tells her, "Though I'm certainly not the only one who he should be worried about. Olivia is quite loved and protected."

"Did you tell Tyler to get Jeremy off the vervain?" Chris asks Nik, "Elena tends to do reckless plans when her family is involved. Or when Jeremy is involved anyway."

"Yes, Tyler is currently spending much needed bonding time with the baby Gilbert." Nik smirks as he pours himself another drink.

"Wait, no." Jenna intervenes, "I don't like the idea of using my nephew as bait, in what I can only imagine will result in death."

"Don't worry love, if the history teacher Elena is so fond of doesn't save his life, then he'll come back as a vampire." Nik waves her concerns off.

"Can't we just have a witch do some kind of locater spell? Isn't that a thing?" She asks them, "I remember Olivia telling me about them before."

"Witches." Chris mutters to himself, his brows furrowing as he tries to remember what else Olivia mentioned about witches. "John!" He exclaims loudly.

"Who?" Kyle asks confused as Jenna jumps startled.

"Her father, John, he died to save Elena's life. In the house that the witches burned in." Chris explains to them, "Olivia told me all about it, she was upset about it for weeks before she pulled herself together."

"What does this have to do with anything, Chris?" Jenna asks him, trying to get to the point.

"Stefan would have used that place to hide her." Nik says, "I don't know where it is."

Without saying a word to anyone, Chris gets up and rushes out of the house.

"I guess he does." Kyle shrugs.

"He's lucky Olivia cares for him so bloody much." Nik mutters darkly to himself. "He better bring the damn coffins with him."

"Calm down, Klaus. Even if he doesn't, I'm sure you can think about another – more painful way to get them." Kyle laughs.

"You two are not a good influence on each other, I swear it's like dealing with children." Jenna scoffs, as she takes a sip of her wine. "I suppose that I should get back to the house and attempt to figure out what they're up to."

"I'll take you back," Kyle smiles helping her up, turning to Nik, "Call me when he gets back with her."

"You're so sure that he'll find her?" Nik asks him, genuinely curious.

"Olivia and Chris, they're the closest people I know. They've been inseparable since they met each other when they were children. He willingly became a vampire to be with her for eternity. That girl is his little sister and he would destroy anyone who tried to hurt her, if there is anyone on this planet that's awake and not daggered in a coffin, who can find her, it's gonna be him." Kyle explains to them. "I know that neither of you have had the opportunity to really watch them interact, but trust me, those two will always be able to find each other."

* * *

"Rise and shine sleepy head." I hear someone tell me as the ropes are cut off my arms.

Groaning I move my head and open my eyes, "Chris?"

"The one and only." He smiles as he helps me up, "Klaus called Kyle and me when the coffins went missing and he couldn't get a hold of you or Rebekah."

"Stefan he –"

"I know – we know." Chris cuts me off, "He kidnapped you and the coffins. Rather an idiotic move on his part, isn't it?"

"I told him that. He snapped my neck. Multiple times." I growl, "The coffins, they're here. I just, I don't know where."

"I didn't see any coffins when I got here." He tells me, "There's someone coming."

Picking me up quickly he speeds us out of the house and into the woods, just as Elena and Bonnie enter the house, Stefan following closely behind them.

"Perfect timing Chris. Thank you." I smile up at him, "Take me to Nik, please."

"Your wish. My command." He laughs.

* * *

"Nik!" I shout as we walk into the house, looking around it's coming together rather nicely. If you want massive holes in the walls anyway.

"In here." He says loudly.

Following his voice, Chris and I find him staring at what seem to be blueprints. Walking over to him, I stand next to him until he turns towards me, and I wrap my arms around him in a hug.

"I'm glad you're alright, love." He comments. "Kol would be furious if something happened to you."

Pulling back I laugh, "Yes, I'm sure only Kol would care if I was harmed."

"Technically, you were." Chris chimes in, "Stefan killed you repeatedly."

"He what!" Nik growls.

"Don't worry, Nik. I'm perfectly fine, for the most part. I assure you, he will pay dearly for that." I tell him my voice cold.

"You should go shower – no take a bath." Nik tells me, as he gently pushes me towards the stairs.

"Does the water even work?" I ask him confused.

"In the master, yes. I even have those bath bombs you're so fond of up there." He tells me, "Now go. I need to keep you safe so you'll be under constant protection."

"Sir yes, sir." I salute him as I walk up the stairs laughing.

Sighing as I sink down into the tub, I close my eyes. I can't believe that Stefan got the upper hand on me, out of everyone in this town I never thought it would be him to snap my neck. Not after Damon, anyway.

I know he's lost his mind recently, wanting revenge and all of that lovely bullshit, but kidnapping me and breaking my neck over the course of – well I'm not even sure how many days I was down there, but that is unacceptable.

I'll give him credit for taking me to get back at Nik, and I'm sure Elena and Jeremy didn't even notice my absence at all, but Jenna and Kyle did. Stupid boy thought only Nik would notice only proves that he's never once listened to a word I said.

"You gonna come out of there before you turn into a prune?" Chris asks me as he knocks on the door.

"Have I been in here long?" I ask him as I stand up and grab the towel off the rack.

"About thirty minutes. Klaus is getting impatient." He laughs, "Wants to talk to you."

"Nik needs to learn some damn patience. I was trying to relax." I mutter, as I get dressed into the yoga pants and hoodie that Chris brought to the house for me.

"You can by all means tell him that while I stand in the corner and laugh." He says as I open the door.

"Wouldn't be the first time." I laugh, "Now come on, we wouldn't want Nik's forehead to get another frown line from his own annoyance."

"Honestly, love, we have work to do." Nik seethes as we walk into the room.

"You need to learn to take a breath, Nik. It's not the end of the world." I tell him.

"Once I take care of Stefan, I'll take a breath." He mocks.

"Stefan will pay dearly, Nik, that much I can promise." I say as I pour myself a glass of wine. "I think Kol will be _thrilled_ to help with that."

"I'm sure he will." Chris laughs from his seat.

"Speaking of the coffins…they were in the witch house." I say cautiously, "Or at least they were. The first time I woke up they were next to me but when I woke up the next time, they were gone."

"Bloody witches. An awful lot really, if they weren't so useful I'd have killed them all by now." Nik mutters, "I want you to stay out of sight. I don't want Stefan to know that where you are. I'll be back, it seems your _lovely_ sister has something I want."

"Have fun!" I call after him as he rushes out of the house.

"How are you doing?" Chris asks me concerned.

"I'm dealing. Ya know if you had asked me where my life was going, getting killed repeatedly wasn't on the list." I say as I finish my wine, looking over at him from my spot on the couch in Nik's study, "Love me and get me another drink?"

Laughing at me, he gets up and pours me another one, "I'm clearly the worst enabler for you."

"Nah, no way. You're one of the few keeping me sane these days." I sigh, "Elena and Jeremy are so involved in themselves it's amazing. I doubt they even realize I'd been gone. And Bonnie! That fucking bitch left me tied to a chair!"

"I don't think going up against a witch is in your best interest." Chris says, "Your siblings, yes."

"I'll let Nik take care of it for now…right now I just want to relax. I want to try and remember that I'll get my happy ending eventually."

Coming over, Chris wraps his arm around me and pulls me into this side, kissing the top of my head, "You'll get your happiness. Kol's close, you know he's close and you do have people on your side to help you. Why don't you take a nap, and I'll wake you when Klaus gets back."

"I'm not tired, Chris." I protest as he picks me up and carries me into Nik's room and throws me on the bed.

"You may not feel tired, but honestly, Olivia, you spent days getting your neck snapped. Your body needs time to heal, and your mind does too. So stop arguing and take a damn nap." He tells me as he tucks me in.

"God you're so pushy." I mutter as I roll over.

* * *

"Nik! Nik I know you can hear me, where the hell are you in this place?" I shout as I walk down the stairs.

"We're in here, love." He answers.

"I was hoping you'd be back by now, what did Elena –" I stop as I notice Rebekah lying in a coffin, "What the hell?"

"Turns out the reason we couldn't find Bekah, is all thanks to your twin. She daggered her and locked her away in the Salvatore basement." Nik says as he closes the coffin and sends it off. "She gave me my sister as long as I spared Jeremy."

"As if I would let you kill our brother, she's an idiot." I mutter, "You're not taking the dagger out of Bekah then?"

"She knows I killed our mother, she'll want revenge and get in the way. When I get the others back, then I'll gladly let you pull the dagger out of her chest."

"You better. After all, I am the one who convinced her that she should travel instead of want you dead." I shrug.

"Always looking out for me, love." He says with a smile, "How did my family get so lucky to have you?"

"You can thank Kol when you remove the dagger from his chest. It is really all him, the fact I like all of you is just an added bonus." I laugh, "On a more serious note, I'm gonna be going home. Jenna and Kyle are there and to be honest, all the construction in this house is going to drive me crazy. I'll keep a low profile, but it'll be fun to just pop up next to Stefan at The Grill. And Bonnie…little bitch."

"Take Chris with you." Nik tells me, "I want you to have one of them with you at all times. We've come to far to let something like this happen to you again, and I won't allow you to get hurt."

Rolling my eyes, I walk over to him and wrap my arms around his middle in a hug. "Yes, yes, I understand. Ya know, I don't remember ordering another over protective big brother and yet here you are."

"For eternity." He teases.

"I have a feeling Kol and I will be taking lengthy vacations in the future." I mutter as I pull Chris out the house.

"Can you pull over?" I ask Chris as I spot Caroline walking on the sidewalk. "I'll be right back!"

"Care!" I call after her, "Wait up a minute!"

"Olivia!" She smiled as she pulls me into a hug, "Where have you been?"

"First thing, Happy Birthday! Second, I was tied up thanks to Stefan." I tell her.

"Thanks…I ditched school and have been kinda avoiding going home since I have a feeling Elena, Matt and Bonnie will be there and I'm not up for celebrating." She tells me sadly, "Wait, what did Stefan do? I mean I know he's been off the wagon but he wouldn't hurt you."

"Oh he would and he did. He snapped my neck repeatedly. I'm feeling a bit petty and vengeful about it, but I've been a good girl and am waiting for the right moment." I say matter of fact, "I just…look Caroline, things in this town have changed, they will continue to change and I don't want you to get hurt. It's going to come down to sides, and I really don't want you to pick the wrong one."

"Olivia, I know that it's been hard for you but do you hear yourself?" She asks me, "These are our friends. You can't just turn your back on them."

"Bonnie knew I was there, Care. She saw me and didn't even consider letting me go. After everything that Damon and Elena have pulled, I'm happy with where my allegiance lies. I have a bigger picture in my head and I'm being selfish with it, and I want to tell you why I can stand here and be so cold towards people I once considered family, but until I know for sure who you're with, I can't. Spend some time and really think about who has been there for you, who hasn't used you for some other agenda…when you figure it out, you call me." I plead with her, "Be safe tonight."

Walking away I get back into the car with Chris, who to his credit at least waited until we were a block away before he began talking.

"I thought you had burned the bridges here."

"Not with Caroline. She's the one friend that was always a real friend to me here. Despite our differences and the petty fights we got into, our friendship was more real than any of the other ones we had growing up. She just needs to remember that." I explain to him. "Besides, don't you think her and Nik would be lovely together?"

* * *

Opening the front door to the house, "Jenna! Kyle! Please for the love of everything good, don't be naked in the house!"

"Why would I be naked in the middle of the kitchen?" I hear Jenna laugh, "That's what my bedroom is for."

"Don't knock kitchen sex, it's great." I tell her as I sit down next to her and steal her glass of wine.

"I'm aware of that, and one day when I don't have to worry about my nieces and nephew or really anyone at this point, waltzing through the front door, then I'll participate in kitchen sex, living room and even backyard sex." She tells me with a smirk.

"Get it Aunt Jenna." I laugh.

"How are you feeling?" She asks me concerned.

"I'm out of the damn basement, and I'm not getting my neck snapped every time I make a comment Stefan doesn't like, so I think I'm fine." I tell her, "I'm a tad angry about the whole situation, and I want to kill him permanently but I'm holding off."

"You do plan on killing him though?" Kyle asks he places food in front of me.

"I'm open to other options, just know he will suffer for what's been done to me."

"Can I borrow those black booties I love of yours?" Jenna asks me changing the subject.

"Yeah, of course. What for?" I ask her, as I take a bite of the pasta.

"The Wickery Bridge Restoration Fundraiser." She sighs, "I'm once again roped into this by Carol Lockwood."

"I'd come if I could, but I have a feeling that's the exact opposite of what Nik would like me to do right now." I laugh, "Be sure to tell him I said hello."

"He'll be there?" She asks surprised.

"Of course he will. Stefan had two paths in front of him. He chose the one that made Nik angry. Naturally, Nik will do whatever he can to prove a point." I tell them, "I'm sure Damon and Alaric will be there as well, so just be careful."

"I'm taking Kyle with me, I'll be perfectly safe." She promises.

"Good. I don't want anything happening to you, not while you're still very mortal." I hug her, "I guess that means Chris and I get to spend the night watching movies together on the couch."

"I'm not watching sappy girl movies with you." He deadpans.

"One girl movie, and then we can watch something you want to watch." I smile over at him.

Holding my gaze, he falters after a minute. "Fine."

Clapping happily, I hug him, "You're the best!"

"Yeah, yeah." He mutters, "I'm going to go change."

"Oh, before we go to the fundraiser, you should know that Elena wants to compel Jeremy to leave town." Jenna tells me as she comes back down stairs.

"She what?!" I ask her, "How the hell would that solve anything?"

"She brought it up to me, I told her that wasn't an option. She's being adamant about it. Thinks because of Klaus that he'll be safer in Denver." She explains.

"Because of Nik, he's safest here. Nik knows that he can use Jeremy as a pawn in the very slightest definition and he wont truly hurt him. Having him go to Denver with no one there to watch out for him is utterly ridiculous." I seethe, "She never fucking learns! People need to be able to make their own choices! She can't just compel him when it's convenient for her."

"I agree. That's why he's not going. I pulled him aside after Elena had a fit about it and left. I told him what she wanted to do and why, I gave him the choice to leave or to stay. He's staying, and I'll add that he's avoided Elena since." She tells me.

"As he should. Being around Elena is nothing but trouble these days." I complain, "Stupid doppelgänger business."

* * *

"Fair warning, Elena's in the kitchen with Bonnie." Jenna tells me as she opens my door.

"It's my lucky day." I say sarcastically, throwing on a pair of boots and walking down, just as Damon walks through the front door.

"Sooner." He says as he walks into the kitchen. "Abby Bennett Wilson. Monroe, North Carolina."

"Don't you know how to knock?" I ask him as I push him out of my way. "Hello Bonnie, don't look so shocked, I do live here."

"Olivia…" She stammers.

"I know I look good when I'm not tied up and having my neck snapped, don't I?" I laugh, "You're looking for your mother. How interesting."

"What do you mean having your neck snapped?" Damon asks me.

"Your brother took it upon himself to kidnap me when he took the coffins, and then proceeded to kill me over and over again." I tell him, "Consider this a warning that eventually, I'll repay him."

"Stefan wouldn't –" Elena starts.

"Shut up, Elena. Face the facts, you don't know Stefan anymore and he's willing to do whatever it takes to bring Nik down. To bad that's a fools errand." I tell her, "If you were smart, you'd leave it alone."

"I can't do that. Klaus is evil, he needs to be stopped." She demands.

"We clearly have different definitions of that. Personally, evil is wanting to compel your brother to leave town without his opinion or consent." I tell her as I grab my car keys.

"It was for his own good. It's not safe here." She argues with me.

"The world isn't a safe place, Elena. You don't get to choose for him. He chose to stay, and you will respect that."

"What happens when Klaus kills him to get to me? Then what will you say?" She mocks.

Laughing loudly, "The fact that you think I'd allow Nik to kill my little brother is astounding. Nik respects me. He knows the limits of when to push and when to back off. Unlike you."

"You shouldn't be here. You can't be trusted at all." Elena tells me angry. "You should just leave."

"That's enough, Elena!" Jenna intervenes. "You need to get off that high horse of yours and face reality. You are not in charge of this house, I am. Damon, Bonnie, I think it's time you left."

"You can't do that!" Elena yells, "They're allowed to be here! We have things to do."

"Then go, Elena. As of today, no one is allowed to come into this house without asking my permission first." Jenna tells her calmly. "I'm the guardian, what I say goes."

"Badass Jenna." I comment, "I'm gonna go and help out. You should come by later with Kyle."

"We'll meet up with you later, sweets. Have fun."

* * *

"Olivia!" Sheriff Forbes greets me happily as she opens the door, "It's good to see you, she's in her room."

"You too Sheriff." I smile as I walk past her and into Caroline's room, "Hey there Care, you called."

"Tyler bit me last…I was – I almost died, Olivia." She tells me quietly, "Did you know?"

"Did I know you were bitten, no I didn't." I tell her as I sit next to her.

"Tyler told me Klaus told him to do it and he tried not to, but he couldn't." She explains, "When he came here to give me his blood, he talked about seeing the world and the beauty it holds. Celebrating thousands of birthdays and getting the hell out of this town, and I realized something. While I was lying here dying, I thought back to all the times you told me that the world was so much more than this town and our petty problems…you were right.

"I didn't want to die last night. I want to get out and see the world. I want to have my best friend with me for eternity. I should be furious that Klaus had Tyler bite me, but I know that has to do with Stefan and not me. He was proving a point, and as much as I wish I wasn't the one it happened to, I'm glad it did. I'm on your side, Olivia."

Wrapping my arm around her shoulder I pull her in for a hug, "I'm not gonna say that the people on my side are the best, but they're not the worst. They won't just use you and throw you to the side when they're done like Damon and Elena tend to. I know you hate Nik, but I do think he fancies you."

"You're spending to much time with him if you're saying words like fancy." She laughs at me, "I know that he's done terrible things. You tried so hard to help Elena though. I was there for that. You did everything you could to keep her alive and even after Klaus came back to town you did what you could and they shut you out. They didn't give you a chance and it drove you away…I didn't even try to stop them."

"I didn't expect you to, Care. We've been friends since the sandbox. It wasn't exactly easy to see everything wrong. I just spend more time away from this town than anyone else, I can see the bigger picture and most of them can't." I tell her.

 _"_ _Hello love, you should come home…there's been a bit of a surprise." Nik tells me when I answer the phone._

Looking at Caroline confused, "What kind of surprise, Nik?"

 _"_ _Damon and I came to an understanding today while you were dealing with girl troubles all night. We have a lot to discuss, there's to be a dinner tonight." He tells me._

"Fine, I'm on my way over." I say as I hang up.

"Sorry to cut the girls night short, but it's better to just get this shit out of the way now." I apologize as I grab my shoes.

"Don't worry about it. I'm gonna take a long bath and watch Casablanca." She smiles at me.

"Well have an Audrey night soon. It's been to long." I tell her as I rush out of the house. "Goodnight!"

* * *

Walking up to the house, the door opens before I can get to it and my face breaks out into a smile. "Elijah!"

"Olivia, it's good to see you again." He says as he hugs me quickly, "I believe Nik has a dress for you up your room."

"Of course he does. Want to tell me what this is about?" I ask him curiously.

"In due time." He tells me cryptic.

Coming back down after I changed into the black cocktail dress and heels that Nik laid out for me, I hear Damon's voice.

"Who's the fifth seat for?"

"That would be me." I announce as I walk towards the chair in between Nik and Elijah.

"Olivia, big surprise there." Damon drawls at me.

"Pleasure as always." I smirk. "Stefan, long time."

"Yeah, can't say I'm surprised." He tells me.

"Lost your appetite?" Nik asks Stefan as we all begin to eat.

"Eat. I thought we agreed that we would leave the grumpy Stefan at home." Damon tells him.

Smirking at them from behind my wine glass I watch as Stefan smiles and takes a bite of the food.

"Now that's the spirit." Nik mocks, "Isn't this nice? The five of us dining together. Such a treat, isn't it Olivia?"

"Just the best, Nik." I answer, rolling my eyes. Personally I could think of a million things I'd rather be doing than have dinner with the Salvatore's but I'll bite my tongue and play nice.

"Is this what you had in mind when you pulled the dagger out of my brother?" Nik asks Damon.

That's new, I had assumed on some level that Nik took the dagger out, I probably should have known better. Though now I'm more curious as to what this dinner is truly about, there is no way it's as friendly as they're trying for.

"Well, I know what he felt about you, so I figured, the more the merrier." He says as he eats.

"Elijah and I have had our share of quarrels over the centuries, but we always make it through." Nik tells them, as he turns towards Elijah.

"Kinda like uh, you and Rebekah right?" Stefan chimes in, "Where is she, by the way? Last I checked, she was still daggered because you were afraid to face her."

"If you're referring to the fact that Rebekah knows I killed our mother…I've already come clean to Elijah." Nik tell him, "Besides, Olivia filled me in the night of the homecoming that Rebekah knew about it."

"Don't drag me into this mess, Nik. I'm here for food and the dinner theatre." I say as one of the girls fills up my wine glass again.

"Hey, Stef, remember when you killed dad? Might want to dial down the judgment till dessert." Damon says finishing off his drink.

"We're here to make a deal, Damon. Doesn't mean we need to kiss his ass for seven courses." Stefan tells him annoyed.

"I'm just saying, we have a long evening ahead of us. Pace yourself." Damon says playing peacemaker.

"Stefan," Elijah begins as the night starts to wind down a bit, "Where is the lovely Elena tonight?"

Choking on my drink, I laugh a bit, "Wrong brother, Elijah."

Nik starts laughing, "I'm sorry, you've missed so much."

"Trouble in paradise." I chime in with a smirk.

"One more word about Elena, and uh, this dinner is over." Stefan intervenes.

"You know what, probably best to keep Elena in the do not discuss pile." Damon says, as Nik and I laugh.

"I don't think she's ever been in that pile before, how nice." I mock.

"It's just the allure of the Petrova doppelgänger is still so strong. What do you say, brother? Should we tell them about Tatia?" Nik asks mockingly.

"Now why should we discuss matters long since resolved?" He shakes his head.

"Well, given their shared affection for both Elena and Katerina, I think our guests might be curious to learn about the originator of the Petrova line." Nik tells them as if it was obvious.

"Please do tell." Damon concedes.

"I'll be back, gonna go powder my nose or whatever." I say as I stand up, "I have no desire to learn about another doppelgänger."

"Don't take to long." Nik calls after me.

Sitting on the bed in the room that Nik designed for Kol and I, I'm tempted to walk into the room I know holds the coffins and take the dagger out now. This dinner was fine at first, even entertaining but I'm failing to see the point of it all. We all know that none of them will ever agree on anything, especially not Elena, so I'm thoroughly confused.

As happy as I was to see Elijah, I can't help but feel as though something is wrong. Something more than just being daggered again. Of course, I can't ask these questions so blatantly, at least not in front of Damon and Stefan.

Having to sit in the same room as Stefan and be civil was proving difficult too. I have never wanted to take a knife and stab someone with it as much as I would love to do to him. That would be the start of the pain that will be coming his way, arrogant prick. Honestly, how he can sit at the table and truly believe that anything he does will just be forgotten is beyond me.

Hearing a crash from downstairs, I rush back down to see what the hell is going on.

"You're free to go. " Elijah tells Damon, "This is family business."

"What the hell is going on?" I ask them calmly as I walk into the room.

"Olivia! You're here." Rebekah says as she hugs me.

"Good to see you awake, Bekah. Now someone answer the damn question." I tell them.

"Hello Darling." I hear from behind me.

Turning on my heel, I look at the man who lets Nik go and walks closer to me, his hand coming up to cradle my face.

"Kol."


End file.
